Museum brings Julia Child’s life, legacy to Richmond

Maeve Bauer, Contributing Writer 

The Virginia Museum of History and Culture opened the doors to “Julia Child: A Recipe for Life,” inviting museum-goers to the aromas and scenes of Child’s life, according to Axios. 

The exhibition opened on March 16 and will close on Sept. 2. It covers Child’s life from her childhood to her career as one of history’s most renowned chefs, as well as her influence on Virginian chefs, according to Axios. 

During the summer, the museum offered a 30-minute highlight tour each Saturday in August from 11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., according to the VMHC website. The last highlight tour is on Aug. 31. 

The goal of any exhibition is to bring history and culture to more people, according to Tracy Schneider, vice president of marketing and communications at the VMHC. The museum hoped to do that through Child’s bold and engaging personality.

“Julia Child: A Recipe for Life” allowed the VMHC to highlight Virginia’s contributions and influence in the evolution of American cuisine, according to Schneider.

The exhibition offers many interactive opportunities including various copper pots with the scents of food that influenced Julia and the meals she prepared, according to Schneider.

The pot lids can be lifted and guests can smell the aromas of that particular cuisine, Schneider said. Visitors can also put themselves in Child’s kitchen with a replica of her television set and a camera.

Schneider claims there are many things that draw guests into the exhibition, she said.

“The generations that watched Julia on TV — whether live or in the many reruns — are drawn to the exhibition with a bit of nostalgia,” Schneider said. “We hear a lot of ‘I remember watching’ or ‘I remember watching with my mom, grandmother, et cetera.’ Julia Child’s vibrant personality is one that people continue to be drawn to.”

Guests who don’t know her can still connect to her through food, Schneider said. 

“Richmond is such a food town and there are so many people who love unique food experiences,” Schneider said. 

The tour starts with pictures from Child’s childhood, following chronologically into the rest of her life. Child didn’t find her calling until later in life, not until she and her husband moved to Paris that she fell in love with food.

The exhibition recreates the moment when Child had a life-changing meal in France, using a replica of the table she and her husband ate at, along with visual effects and audio walking you through their lunch. 

Jeff Clark, a volunteer for the museum, gave the tour and began by asking why a Julia Child exhibition was in Virginia.

One reason is Child’s major influence on many Virginian chefs, according to Clark. She influenced chefs such as Patrick O’Connell, the owner of 3-star Michelin restaurant, The Inn at Little Washington.

“This exhibit is never empty — it always has people in it,” Clark said.

Clark credits the popularity of the exhibition to the impact Child left, he said. 

“The people that watched her show just fell in love with her, a lot of them learned how to cook using her cookbook,” Clark said. “She’s just an engaging person that attracts people.” 

Dawn Garrett, an attendee of the exhibition, was drawn into the museum due to a love of food, cooking and an admiration of Child. 

Garrett felt the exhibition gave her a more in-depth understanding of Child’s story, she said. She didn’t know much about the details surrounding her life. 

“I had no idea really of her early years and that was really interesting —  I didn’t know much about her marriage and her partnership with her husband,” Garrett said.

Paige Newman, the curator for this exhibition, spoke to the inspiration Child had.

Child is credited with bringing French cuisine to the American public, according to Newman. She lifted the veil on difficult cooking techniques by showing step-by-step instructions while making her own mistakes on live television.

“Child committed herself to encouraging new chefs and developing educational opportunities in the culinary arts,” Newman said. “She showed that anyone, regardless of background or training, could become a skilled cook with practice and experimentation.”