Julia Child: Mastering the Art of French Cooking Author Dies at 91

Julia Child was an American chef, author and television personality who brought French cooking to American homes. Born Julia McWilliams on August 15, 1912, in Pasadena, California, she worked for the Office of Strategic Services during World War II.

She co-wrote Mastering the Art of French Cooking (1961) and starred in the television series The French Chef beginning in 1963. She won Peabody and Emmy Awards and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2003 and the French Legion of Honor in 2000.

Child married Paul Child, whom she met in the OSS, in 1946. She died at her home in Montecito, California, on August 13, 2004, two days before her 92nd birthday, of kidney failure. Her kitchen is on display at the Smithsonian.

Achievements: Peabody and Emmy Awards, Presidential Medal of Freedom (2003), Legion of Honor (2000).

Birth: August 15, 1912 - Pasadena, California.

Profession: Chef and author.

Interesting Facts: In the OSS she helped develop a shark repellent for use around underwater explosives.