The French Chef
| The French Chef | |
|---|---|
| Starring | Julia Child |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Production | |
| Running time | 28 minutes 46 seconds |
| Release | |
| Original network |
WGBH (producer) NET (1963-1970) PBS (1970-1973) |
| Original release |
February 11, 1963 – February 11, 1973 Cooking Channel (2010–present) Gusto TV (December 2013–present) |
The French Chef is a television cooking show created and hosted by Julia Child,[1] produced and broadcast by WGBH, the public television station in Boston, Massachusetts, from February 11, 1963 to February 11, 1973. It was one of the first cooking shows on American television.
The show grew out of a special presentation Child gave on WGBH based on the book Mastering the Art of French Cooking which she co-authored. The French Chef was produced from 1963 to 1973 by WGBH for National Educational Television (and later for PBS). Reruns continued on PBS until 1989, and were airing on Cooking Channel as of 2010. As of September 2016, episodes were being rerun on the new Canadian cooking channel Gusto.
Format
The French Chef introduced French cooking to the United States at a time when it was considered expensive restaurant fare, not suitable for home cooking. Child emphasized fresh and, at the time, unusual ingredients. All of the recipes used on The French Chef had originally appeared in Mastering the Art of French Cooking, but for the show, Child chose mostly the more domestic recipes from the book, although such showpieces as Beef Wellington, various sorts of soufflé, and some ambitious pastries also made it into the mix if they seemed within the reach of a home cook without staff.
The show was done live-to-videotape from start to finish, leaving little room for mistakes. The resulting occasional accidents became a popular trademark of Child's on air presence, used as "teachable moments" to encourage viewers to relax about the task's demands.
Certain elements became motifs: Julia's fondness for wine; her distinctive voice; her staunch defense of the use of butter (with margarine invariably referred to as "that other spread") and cream; her standard issue "impeccably clean towel"; and her closing line at the end of every show: "Julia Child, Bon appétit!"
History
| “ | So good is she that men who have not the slightest intention of going to the kitchen for anything but ice cubes watch her for pure enjoyment. | ” |
| — Time magazine cover story from November 1966[2] | ||
When the show began, the budget was so low that "volunteers had to be recruited to wash dishes, and the food sometimes had to be auctioned to the audience afterwards to cover expenses."[2]
In 1964 Child received a Peabody Award, crediting her for doing "more than show us how good cooking is achieved; by her delightful demonstrations she has brought the pleasures of good living into many American homes."[3] In May 1966, her show won a Primetime Emmy Award for Achievements in Educational Television – Individuals.[4]
The August 27, 1968 episode of The French Chef (rerun from an episode sometime in 1965) ended with the unexpected collapse of an Apple Charlotte.
The February 11, 1972 episode of The French Chef (on its ninth anniversary) was the first U.S. television show to be captioned for deaf viewers.[5]
The show was produced by Ruth Lockwood and directed by Russell Morash, Russell Fortier, David Griffiths and David B. Atwood.[6] Film composer John Morris wrote the 2nd theme song of The French Chef.
Legacy
As part of its growing Twitch Creative content, Twitch.tv streamed every episode of The French Chef over a four-day period starting on March 15, 2016, to launch its new food channel.[7][8] Twitch reported that almost a million viewers watched the marathon.[9]
List of episodes
| Season | Episode | Subject |
|---|---|---|
| S01 (1963) | E01 | Boeuf Bourguignon (February 11, 1963) |
| S01 | E02 | French Onion Soup |
| S01 | E03 | Casserole Roast Chicken |
| S01 | E04 | The French Omelette |
| S01 | E05 | Scallops |
| S01 | E06 | Quiche Lorraine |
| S01 | E07 | Fruit Tarts |
| S01 | E08 | Chicken Breasts and Rice |
| S01 | E09 | Vegetables à la Française |
| S01 | E10 | Veal Scallops |
| S01 | E11 | French Salads- Mayonnaise |
| S01 | E12 | Chicken Livers à la Française |
| S01 | E13 | Roast Duck à l'Orange |
| S01 | E14 | Chocolate Mousse and Caramel Custard |
| S01 | E15 | Pâtés |
| S01 | E16 | Aspics |
| S01 | E17 | Bouillabaise |
| S01 | E18 | Lobster à l'Américaine |
| S01 | E19 | French Crêpes |
| S01 | E20 | French Crêpes II - Suzette |
| S01 | E21 | Steaks and Hamburgers |
| S01 | E22 | The Potato Show |
| S01 | E23 | Soufflé on a Platter |
| S01 | E24 | Dinner in a Pot |
| S01 | E25 | Pâte à Choux |
| S02 (1964) | E01 | Caramel Desserts |
| S02 | E02 | Cooking Your Goose |
| S02 | E03 | Chestnut Cookery |
| S02 | E04 | Bringing in the New Year |
| S02 | E05 | Coq au Vin |
| S02 | E06 | Cassoulet |
| S02 | E07 | Vegetable Adventures |
| S02 | E08 | Puff Pastry |
| S02 | E09 | More about Puff Pastry |
| S02 | E10 | Fish Mousselines |
| S02 | E11 | Cake for Company |
| S02 | E12 | Artichokes from Top to Bottom |
| S02 | E13 | Elegance with Eggs |
| S02 | E14 | Cold Soufflés and Bavarian Cream |
| S02 | E15 | Case for Salmon |
| S02 | E16 | Broccoli and Cauliflower |
| S02 | E17 | Veal for a King |
| S02 | E18 | The Soup Show |
| S02 | E19 | Flaming Soufflé |
| S02 | E20 | Small Roast Birds |
| S03 (1965) | E01 | Timbales |
| S03 | E02 | Fish Filets Sylvestre |
| S03 | E03 | Babas au Rhum |
| S03 | E04 | Chicken Dinner in Half an Hour |
| S03 | E05 | Rognons Sautés and Flambés |
| S03 | E06 | The Mushroom Show |
| S03 | E07 | Veal Dinner in Half an Hour |
| S03 | E08 | Broiled Chicken Plain and Saucy |
| S03 | E09 | Lamb Stew is French, Too |
| S03 | E10 | Introducing Charlotte Malakoff |
| S03 | E11 | Hot Turkey Ballotine |
| S03 | E12 | Cold Turkey Galantine |
| S03 | E13 | Le Marquis au Chocolate |
| S03 | E14 | Vegetables for the Birds |
| S03 | E15 | French Tarts, Apple Style |
| S03 | E16 | French Jelly Roll |
| S03 | E17 | Bûche de Noël |
| S03 | E18 | Beef Gets Stewed Two Ways |
| S03 | E19 | Ham Dinner in Half an Hour |
| S03 | E20 | Croissants |
| S04 (1966) | E01 | Chocolate Souffle |
| S04 | E02 | Four in Hand Chicken |
| S04 | E03 | Brioches |
| S04 | E04 | Veal Prince Orloff |
| S04 | E05 | Great Beginnings |
| S04 | E06 | Turban of Sole |
| S04 | E07 | Strawberry Tarts |
| S04 | E08 | The Shrimp Show |
| S04 | E09 | Salad Fixings |
| S04 | E10 | Non-collapsible Cheese Soufflé |
| S04 | E11 | Quiches |
| S04 | E12 | Fish Dinner in Half an Hour |
| S04 | E13 | French Veal Stew |
| S04 | E14 | Improvisation |
| S04 | E15 | The Empress's Rice |
| S04 | E16 | Coquilles St. Jacques |
| S04 | E17 | More about Steaks |
| S04 | E18 | To Poach a Salmon |
| S04 | E19 | Invitation To Lunch |
| S04 | E20 | Beef in Red Wine |
| S05 (1967) | E01 | Your Own French Onion Soup |
| S05 | E02 | Chicken in Cocotte |
| S05 | E03 | Queen of Sheba Cake (black & white) |
| S05 | E04 | To Poach Sole Filets |
| S05 | E05 | Chop Dinner in Half an Hour |
| S05 | E06 | Filet of Beef Wellington |
| S05 | E07 | Apple Charlotte |
| S05 | E08 | More Great Beginnings |
| S05 | E09 | Roast Suckling Pig |
| S05 | E10 | More about Potatoes |
| S05 | E11 | Steak Dinner in Half an Hour |
| S05 | E12 | The Endive Show |
| S05 | E13 | Saddle of Lamb |
| S05 | E14 | Napoleons |
| S05 | E15 | Paella à l'Américaine |
| S05 | E16 | Dinner Party First Course |
| S05 | E17 | Dinner Party Main Course |
| S05 | E18 | Dinner Party Meringue Dessert |
| S05 | E19 | Soupe au Pistou |
| S05 | E20 | Quenelles |
| S05 | E21 | New Year |
| S06 (1968) | E01 | Génoise Cake |
| S06 | E02 | Petits Fours |
| S06 | E03 | The Mayonnaise Show |
| S06 | E04 | Swordfish Dinner in a Half Hour |
| S06 | E05 | Ossobuco |
| S06 | E06 | Sweetbreads and Brains |
| S06 | E07 | Asparagus from Tip to Butt |
| S06 | E08 | Operation Chicken |
| S06 | E09 | To Poach a Chicken |
| S06 | E10 | Mousses, Bombes and Parfaits |
| S06 | E11 | Bourride and Aïoli |
| S06 | E12 | To Poach an Egg |
| S06 | E13 | Roast Leg of Lamb |
| S06 | E14 | Lobster Thermidor |
| S06 | E15 | Speaking of Tongues |
| S06 | E16 | Pipérade for Lunch |
| S06 | E17 | Turban of Sole |
| S06 | E18 | Bouillabaisse à la Marseillaise |
| S06 | E19 | Napoleon's Chicken |
| S06 | E20 | Spinach Twins (color) |
| S07 (1969) | E01 | Cake with a Halo |
| S07 | E02 | Hamburger Dinner |
| S07 | E03 | Salade Niçoise |
| S07 | E04 | Turkey Breast Braised |
| S07 | E05 | Lasagne à la Française |
| S07 | E06 | Waiting for Gigot |
| S07 | E07 | How about Lentils |
| S07 | E08 | Fish in Monk's Clothing |
| S07 | E09 | Gâteau in a Cage |
| S07 | E10 | Cheese and Wine Party |
| S07 | E11 | Curry Dinner |
| S07 | E12 | Apple Desserts |
| S07 | E13 | Meat Loaf Masquerade |
| S07 | E14 | To Roast a Chicken |
| S07 | E15 | Hard Boiled Eggs |
| S07 | E16 | Boeuf Bourguignon |
| S07 | E17 | Strawberry Soufflé |
| S07 | E18 | Spaghetti Flambé |
| S07 | E19 | French Bread |
| S07 | E20 | More about French Bread |
| S08 (1970) | E01 | Vegetable for all Occasions |
| S08 | E02 | Pot au Feu |
| S08 | E03 | Pizza Variations |
| S08 | E04 | Begin with Shrimp |
| S08 | E05 | Chocolate Cake |
| S08 | E06 | Working with Chocolate |
| S08 | E07 | To Press a Duck |
| S08 | E08 | Flaky Pastry |
| S08 | E09 | Glamour Pudding |
| S08 | E10 | The Whole Fish Story |
| S08 | E11 | VIP Veal: Poitrine Farcie |
| S08 | E12 | Brochettes, Kebabs and Skewers |
| S08 | E13 | Rye Bread |
| S08 | E14 | Flaming Fish |
| S08 | E15 | Summer Salads |
| S08 | E16 | Lobster Show |
| S08 | E17 | Coq au Vin Alias Chicken Fricassee |
| S08 | E18 | Mousse au Chocolat |
| S08 | E19 | Quiche Lorraine and Company |
| S08 | E20 | To Stuff a Sausage |
| S09 (1971) | E01 | The Artichoke |
| S09 | E02 | Tartes aux Fruits (Fruit Tarts) |
| S09 | E03 | To Roast a Turkey |
| S09 | E04 | French Croissants |
| S09 | E05 | Soup du Jour |
| S09 | E06 | Terrines and Pâtés |
| S09 | E07 | Madeleines and Génoise Jelly Roll |
| S09 | E08 | To Make a Bûche |
| S09 | E09 | Le Cocktail |
| S09 | E10 | Gallic Pot Roast |
| S09 | E11 | Cheese Soufflé |
| S09 | E12 | The Good Loaf |
| S09 | E13 | The Hollandaise Family |
| S09 | E14 | Tripes à la Mode |
| S09 | E15 | Sole Bonne Femme |
| S09 | E16 | Orange Bavarian Cream |
| S09 | E17 | To Stuff a Cabbage |
| S09 | E18 | The Omelette Show |
| S09 | E19 | Elegance with Aspic |
| S09 | E20 | French Fries |
| S10 (1972) | E01 | Ham Transformation |
| S10 | E02 | Ice Cream |
| S10 | E03 | For Working Guys and Gals |
| S10 | E04 | Small Kitchen, Big Ideas |
| S10 | E05 | Coffee and Brioche |
| S10 | E06 | Brunch for a Bunch |
| S10 | E07 | VIP Cake |
| S10 | E08 | To Ragoût a Goose |
| S10 | E09 | Sudden Company |
| S10 | E10 | First Course Sit Down Dinner |
| S10 | E11 | Main Course Sit Down Dinner |
| S10 | E12 | Grand Finale Sit Down Dinner |
| S10 | E13 | Kids Want to Cook |
| S10 | E14 | Two-Dollar Banquet |
| S10 | E15 | Puff Pastry to Go |
Companion books
Two companion cookbooks were written along with the show. The French Chef Cookbook was a show-by-show breakdown of the black and white series,[10] while From Julia Child's Kitchen was a somewhat more ambitious work that was based on the color series but also added considerable extra material.[11]
DVD releases
- Julia Child's Kitchen Wisdom (2000)
- Julia and Jacques: Cooking at Home (2003)
- Julia Child: America's Favorite Chef (2004)
- The French Chef: Volume One (2005)
- The French Chef: Volume Two (2005)
- The French Chef with Julia Child (As Seen on Public Television). WGBH 2005 3 DVDs, runtime 432 min. (2005)
- Julia Child! The French Chef (2006)
- The French Chef: Julia Child's French Classics (2012)[12]
References
- ↑ J.C. Maçek III (August 13, 2012). "Bless This Mess: Sweeping the Kitchen with Julia Child". PopMatters.
- 1 2 "Food: Everyone's in the Kitchen". Time. November 25, 1966. Retrieved 2011-04-28.
- ↑ "Personal Award for The French Chef". Peabody Award. Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. Retrieved 2011-04-28.
- ↑ "Personal Award for The French Chef". Primetime Emmy Award. Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved 2011-04-28.
- ↑ "A Brief History of Captioned Television". National Captioning Institute. Retrieved 2011-04-28.
While the closed captioning service was being developed, there were some programs with "open" captions airing on PBS. In 1972, The French Chef became the very first television program that was accessible to deaf and hard of hearing viewers.
- ↑ http://www.worldcat.org/title/french-chef-with-julia-child/oclc/59134316?page=citation
- ↑ "Julia Child Marathon: Introducing the Official Food Channel with The French Chef!". Retrieved 2016-03-23.
- ↑ "Julia Child is the next PBS star to get a Twitch marathon". Retrieved 2016-03-23.
- ↑ "Food Channel Continues with 24/7 Cooking Programming". Retrieved 2016-03-23.
- ↑ Julia Child (1963). The French Chef Cookbook. Alfred A. Knopf. p. 424.
- ↑ Julia Child (1970). From Julia Child's Kitchen. Alfred A. Knopf. p. 687.
- ↑ Lambert, David (August 15, 2012). "The French Chef – Press Release: 'Julia Child's French Classics' DVD, On Her 100th Birthday". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
External links
- The French Chef at the Internet Movie Database
- Cover: Julia Child – Nov. 25, 1966 from Time magazine