We have a birthday to celebrate this week! And not just any birthday -- the centennial anniversary of one of the most influential American chefs and authors ever to have graced us with her six-foot, two-inch frame. We are referring, of course, to the one and only Julia Child.
Tomorrow (Aug. 15) marks what would have been her 100th birthday, and the Bay Area is set to ring in the holiday as any self-respecting, food-loving metropolis worth their weight in beef bourguignon should. RN74 is serving lunch and dinner through the 15th featuring vichysoisse (chilled potato leek soup) and babas au rhum (a fancy French equivalent of rum soaked doughnut holes). Jardiniere will celebrate with a one-night-only $49 prix fixe dinner, and La Scene Cafe and Bar at The Warwick Hotel will be serving a three-course menu through the 31st featuring salade nicoise and beef bourguignon. Over in the East Bay, a special dinner to celebrate Child's legacy will be served all week in the cafe at Berkeley's Chez Panisse, and Oakland's Camino is doing a four course prix fixe on Aug. 15.
If your pockets are exploding with money and you feel like heading out-of-town to pay your respects, the Hyatt Carmel Highlands Inn will be serving a $225 five-course dinner on Aug. 26th with guest appearances by Jeremiah Tower (awesome) and Michel Escoffier (unbelievably awesome).
And if you would prefer a more intimate setting to show your appreciation, PBS.org has complete episodes of your favorite Julia Child cooking shows like Cooking with Master Chefs, Baking with Julia, and her original masterpiece The French Chef. Bon appétit indeed!
