Media Alert
February 26, 2024
Taylor Fuqua, Manager of PR & Marketing; tfuqua@VirginiaHistory.org; 804.342.9661

Richmond, VA – Embark on a journey of culinary mastery through sight, sound and smell at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture (VMHC) with “Julia Child: A Recipe for Life” on view March 16-Sept. 2. The exhibition explores the key ingredients in Julia Child’s personal journey, which became part of America's culinary revolution, through a series of immersive experiences. Julia’s insatiable curiosity and tenacious spirit drove her to endlessly try, test, and teach how to make delicious food. Learning to cook empowered Julia, and she empowered others, profoundly transforming American cuisine and food culture in the process. Displays exclusive to the exhibition’s showing at VMHC will highlight Julia’s connections to Virginia and the influence of French cooking in the Commonwealth’s culinary history.

Interactive storytelling spaces invite visitors to experience different times in Julia’s life like The French Chef television set, where they can operate a vintage video camera, mix “ingredients,” and feel like part of the show. A theatrical scene will transport guests to La Couronne, the French restaurant where the chef experienced her first French meal. Photographs on view in the exhibition chronicle Julia’s career from her time spent in France to traveling the world with her beloved husband, Paul, who captured beautiful images that documented their lives together. The couple enjoyed Valentine’s Day and, over the years, would create dozens of cards to send to family and friends. A photo opportunity in the exhibition will allow visitors to recreate one of the couple’s most iconic Valentine’s Day cards.

Visitors can also discover the other enduring influences that have been woven into Virginia recipes and the Virginia chefs who used those influences to create unique dishes. Among them is James Hemings, who was born into slavery in Virginia and became the first American to study cooking professionally in Paris. The exhibition will feature kitchen equipment from the mid-17th century, including a waffle iron, braising pan, and skimmer believed to have been used by Hemings. Jimmy Sneed, who appeared in Julia Child’s “Cooking with Master Chefs” TV series and operated the famous Frog and the Redneck restaurant in Richmond, Virginia, is also featured.

Patrick O’Connell, the award-winning chef and proprietor of The Inn at Little Washington (one of only 13 restaurants in the U.S. to receive three Michelin stars) and a friend to Julia, will also be highlighted in the exhibition. He is known for revolutionizing the fine dining industry with his innovative techniques and uncommon flavor combinations and is considered by many to have been one of the most influential chefs in the country.

“Julia Child: A Recipe for Life” will bring the story of a beloved and iconic American to all Virginians—an inspiring story of Julia Child’s authenticity, tenacity, and her deep love of food that changed the nation,” said VMHC president and CEO Jamie Bosket. “This memorable exhibition also provides the VMHC a perfect opportunity to highlight the stories of Virginians that made their own culinary mark, including those inspired by Julia herself.”

The VMHC is its first East Coast venue to host this marquee exhibition, which will feature rare material from the Julia Child archives on loan from the Schlesinger Library at Harvard as well as video, audio, photographs, memorabilia, and recreated scenes from the iconic chef’s life.

For more information about “Julia Child: A Recipe for Life” please visit VirginiaHistory.org/JuliaChild. A list of upcoming related programming can be found below.

• April 5, 12:00 PM- Family Film Screening

Watch Disney’s hit movie Ratatouille during First Fridays at the VMHC.

• April 12, 6:00 PM-  Julia Child Cookoff

This unique tasting event will feature local Richmond restaurants as they create dishes inspired by Julia Child.

• April 25, 6:00 PM- Representing a Region and Its Cuisine: Appalachia on the Table 

Lecture by Erica Abrams Locklear.

• June 1, 8:00 AM- Virginia Eats: Farm to Table Bus Tour  

Join the VMHC for an excursion to local Virginia farms and artisanal producers. Tastings, lunch, and Virginia wine included.

• June 7, 5:00 PM- Kids Cooking Demonstration 

Join Young Chef’s Academy for a hands-on pasta- making demonstrations and sampling opportunity during First Fridays at the VMHC.

• Julia Child: A Recipe for Life Highlight Tours-On Saturdays in June-August @11:30am

Join VMHC Education for summer “highlights” tours of our special exhibition “Julia Child: A Recipe for Life.”

• An Evening with Chef Patrick O’Connell - Join the VMHC and award-winning chef and proprietor of The Inn at Little Washington, Patrick O’Connell for a special evening program later this spring. More details will be available soon.

“Julia Child: A Recipe for Life” is made possible at the VMHC by the following sponsors:

• Presenting Sponsor: Performance Food Group
• Supporting Sponsors: Mr. & Mrs. E. Claiborne Robins Jr,  Melanie Trent De Schutter, Atlantic Union Bank, and Katherine & Jack Nelson
• Sponsors: Anne Carter & Walter R. Robins Jr. Foundation 
• Supporters: Russell & Susan Harper, Mr. & Mrs. Gerald F. Smith, Jr., Aggie & Richard Cullen, Lisa & Bill Moore, Michelle Gluck & John McGurl, Lettie Pate Evans Changing Exhibition Fund, Linda M. Warren Special Exhibitions Fund, and Community Foundation for a greater Richmond.

Organizers and Sponsors: “Julia Child: A Recipe for Life” is a touring exhibition produced and managed by Flying Fish, developed in collaboration with Napa Valley Museum, under the rights granted by The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and Culinary Arts and Schlesinger Library, Harvard Radcliffe Institute, Harvard University and is generously supported by Oceania Cruises. Additional content about Julia Child’s connection to Virginia has been curated by the Virginia Museum of History & Culture and is woven throughout the exhibition. The exhibition's visit to the VMHC is made possible with generous funds provided by presenting sponsor Performance Food Group.

About Virginia Museum of History & Culture

The Virginia Museum of History & Culture is the only institution dedicated to presenting the entire history of Virginia over time and across regions. Its nationally significant collection of more than 9 million objects, renowned research library, galleries and public programs demonstrate the centrality of Virginia to the narrative of the United States.

The VMHC is owned and operated by the Virginia Historical Society — a private, non-profit organization established in 1831. The historical society is the oldest cultural organization in Virginia and one of the oldest and most distinguished history organizations in the nation. VirginiaHistory.org

About Flying Fish

A leading creator of dynamic touring exhibitions, Flying Fish collaborates with top museums and science centers to produce extraordinary and influential experiences. Flying Fish exhibitions have impacted millions of visitors, from Melbourne to New York, generating sustainable income for their clients and inspiring fans around the globe. For Museums. By Museums. flyingfishexhibits.com

About Napa Valley Museum

Napa Valley Museum Yountville offers a three-part cultural experience of art, nature and history through exhibitions, educational programs and creative activities. With hands-on participatory exhibits including world premieres like France is a Feast and Lucy Liu, plus explorations of iconic artists from Walt Disney to Picasso to Frida Kahlo, the Museum engages visitors of all ages, languages, and interests. napavalleymuseum.org

About The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts

The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts was created by Julia Child in 1995 and became operational in 2004. Its mission is to honor and further Child’s legacy, which centers on the importance of understanding where food comes from, what makes for good food and the value of cooking. juliachildfoundation.org.

The Virginia Museum of History & Culture is the only institution dedicated to presenting the entire history of Virginia over time and across regions. Its nationally significant collection of more than 9 million objects, renowned research library, galleries and public programs demonstrate the centrality of Virginia to the narrative of the United States.

The VMHC is owned and operated by the Virginia Historical Society — a private, non-profit organization established in 1831. The historical society is the oldest cultural organization in Virginia and one of the oldest and most distinguished history organizations in the nation.