Today, August 15, 2012, marks the 100th birthday of Julia Child, the iconic American chef who changed the world of gastronomy through her amazing talent and passion for cooking – oh, and not to mention her personality! How Americans eat and cook at home was never the same because of her as she brought the intimidating art of French cooking to the USA. She may have passed away years ago, but her legacy will continue to nourish future food lovers.
For us here in the Philippines, some may say that she hardly had any influence on how we Filipinos eat or cook. We have our own ways of cooking that can be traced back hundreds of years. We have always loved cooking and eating at home, and most of the influences in our culinary world are from the Spaniards (Europeans) and our neighbors here in Asia. However, with our ever-growing curiosity in tasting what the world has to offer, we, in many ways, have been touched by Julia Child.
I’m sure many of the chefs and culinary experts here in the country are very familiar with Julia Child. Her techniques, her recipes and her cooking tips will continue on for generations to come, I’m certain of that. When you slather on mayonnaise on your favorite bread or dish, or when you prepare and eat an omelette (or omelet), in a way, Julia has been a part of making all those possible to do in our very own homes.
How Julia Child Influenced Us
We may be thousands of miles away from France and America where Julia Child has been a household name, but through the internet and all the technology we enjoy now, she has touched our lives too.