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Written by Joanne Weir
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Tuesday, 11 August 2009 |
 Julia Child - The French Chef from WBGH.org Years ago when I first joined IACP (International Association of Culinary Professionals), I went to my first conference alone. I was so scared. I planned all of my outfits, packed them in my suitcase and off I went. I only knew a small handful of people at that point but I was excited and nervous all at the same time. When I saw Jacques Pepin (now a friend) and Julia Child for the first time, I was beside myself.
I walked into the very first luncheon that first day of the conference. The room was packed with people. I searched the room for someone I might know but couldn't find anyone. Terror crept inside. Oh my, what now? "OK, you can do it Joanne, get a hold of yourself!" I said to myself as I sat in one of the unoccupied chairs at table with complete strangers. They all seemed so important and I was just a cooking school teacher from San Francisco.
Suddenly behind me, there was a very familiar voice, "Is this chair taken?' As I turned around, it was Julia and she was talking to me! "No," I said, trying to act calm as I swallowed wrong and almost choked! "And how are you?" she said as she sat down. We introduced ourselves (like she needed an introduction!) and talked the whole luncheon. I grew up in Northampton, Massachusetts where she went to college, my mother had worked for years cooking with her college roommate and dear friend, Charlotte Turgeon, so we had much to talk about. But I hardly ate a thing!
The next day I saw Julia in the hallway. I smiled at her and said, "Hi Julia, how are you?" She said "No Joanne, how are YOU?"
I loved how Julia had a wonderful knack for always giving more than she could ever take!About Joanne WeirJoanne Weir is many things...a world traveler... a James Beard Award-winning cookbook author... a cooking teacher... a chef and television personality. In the second season of her very successful 26-part public television series, "Joanne Weir's Cooking Class", Joanne's love of teaching cooking takes center stage.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 05 August 2009 )
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