Julia Child Foundation Event In Madison In June

Information from the Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts:

MADISON, CT — The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts announces the launch of a cross-country dinner series in celebration of the Julia Child Award’s 10th anniversary. Raising awareness of and critical funds for the Smithsonian Food History Project at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, the series will travel to past recipients' hometowns to commemorate a decade of honoring visionaries who shape the way America cooks, eats, and drinks.

Created in 2014, the Julia Child Award is given to an individual or team who has greatly impacted society through his or her work in culinary arts, with past recipients known for accomplishments in kitchens, community activism, academia, and the hospitality business. Recipients range from renowned chef, cookbook author, and culinary personality Jacques Pépin (2015) to President and Co-Founder of Food Tank, Danielle Nierenberg (2020), to most recently, Sean Sherman (2023), Founder of North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems, award-winning cookbook author, and activist–with six well-respected others rounding out the group.

Past recipients will participate in the upcoming dinner series as co-hosts, joined by local culinary talent in select cities. The program kicked off in Houston on February 8, traveling to six cities from coast to coast over seven months. The full schedule includes:

• New York, NY - Date TBC: Co-hosted by Danny Meyer (2017) and Grace Young (2022)
• Madison, CT – June 1: Hosted by Jacques Pépin (2015) at the Madison Beach Hotel
• Washington, D.C. – June 3: Co-hosted by José Andrés (2019) and Danielle Nierenberg (2020) at Jaleo
• Los Angeles, CA – September 19: Co-hosted by Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger (2018)

Each event will have an individual look and feel, spotlighting the locale’s iconic culinary scene. Tickets are now available to purchase for the kick-o dinner in Houston, with tickets for additional events in the series to be released via The Julia Child Foundation’s event page on a rolling basis.

The menu for the Madison event is as follows:

Cocktails:

• Café Tropical: Real McCoy 5, Veritable Coffee Liqueur, Housemade Tropical Syrup, Angostura Bitters, Toasted Coffee–Banana Powder Garnish
• Canon Citron: Southwick's Gin, Veritable Limoncello, Herbes de Provence Shrub, Dash of Celery, Dry French Wine
• Byrrhlevardier: Thyme Wood–Infused Bourbon, Combier Rouge, Byrrh, Vanilla Bean–Infused Peychaud Bitters

The series culminates with the presentation of the 2024 Julia Child Award to the 10th recipient at a Food History Gala, held in association with the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. on October 17. The award includes a $50,000 grant to a food-related cause of the recipient’s choice, marking the award’s milestone of $500,000 in grants made over the past decade.

“It’s a privilege to honor the diverse contributions of 10 years of Julia Child Award recipients through a series crisscrossing the country," said Eric W. Spivey, Chairman of The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts. “Julia would be delighted by all the recipients' achievements and that we are bringing people together around the table to raise vital funds for the Smithsonian since she valued culinary history so highly.”

The Smithsonian Food History Project at the National Museum of American History is a dynamic initiative dedicated to exploring American history through the lens of food and drink. The project team conducts research, collects objects and archives for the museum’s permanent collections, and creates exhibitions and public programs around an exciting range of food-related topics. The keystone exhibition, “FOOD: Transforming the American Table,” features Julia Child’s home kitchen, the room and its astonishing array of culinary tools that continue to inspire visitors, as well as many other artifacts and stories that explore what’s behind the big changes in food and drink in the United States since the 1950s.

The Julia Child Award’s tenth-anniversary dinner series is nationally sponsored by
S.Pellegrino® Sparkling Mineral Water. For more information on the series, visit
https://juliachildaward.com/events/.

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 in 1995 and became operational in 2004. Its mission is to honor and further Julia’s legacy, which centers on the importance of understanding the elements and origins of good food and the value of cooking. Headquartered in Santa Barbara, California, the Foundation is a non-profit that makes grants to support research in culinary history, scholarships for professional culinary training, food writing, and media as well as professional development and food literacy programs. Since becoming operational, the Foundation has made over $3 million in grants to other nonprofits.

About the Smithsonian Food History Project at the National Museum of American
History

Through research, programs, and collections, the Smithsonian Food History Project at the National Museum of American History welcomes everyone to participate in exploring the history and ongoing significance of food cultures in the United States. By engaging in activities and conversations about food history, Museum audiences will gain a greater understanding of the roles they play, individually and collectively, in shaping the future of food production, distribution, and consumption. In addition to its foundational exhibition, “FOOD: Transforming the American Table,” the Museum has developed a diverse menu of programs and demonstrations that bring audiences together, virtually and in person, for relevant discussions that start with history and expand to the present and future of American food. As the home of Julia Child’s kitchen for 20 years, the National Museum of American History is committed to examining the impact of food, drink, and agriculture on American history.