Food History Weekend

Join us Thursday–Saturday, October 17–19, 2024, for a series of food history programs. Organized around the theme, “Ten Years of the Julia Child Award: Education, Advocacy, and Community,” the cooking demonstrations and conversations will feature awardees from the past and present. This is a rare opportunity to participate in celebrating Julia Child’s legacy with individuals who exemplify her commitment to culinary education and empowerment through food. Food History Weekend programming on Friday and Saturday is open to the public and free, registration can be found on our Eventbrite page.

We're kicking off the Weekend with the 10th annual Food History Gala, in support of the Smithsonian Food History Project! Join us for an elegant evening featuring the presentation of the Julia Child Award by The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts to this year's recipient, Alice Waters. For more information about the Gala, please visit our Gala page, however tickets for the Gala are now sold out. We are incredibly grateful for the overwhelming support from our community!

Friday, October 18

Friday, October 18 | Cooking Up History
Hibiscus Tea: A Drink for Independence
11:30 a.m.–12:15 p.m.

Toni Tipton-Martin will prepare a recipe of sorrel (hibiscus) tea from her book Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking (Clarkson-Potter, 2019). She will describe the history of the drink in Jamaica and its cultural meaning as the unofficial beverage of Juneteenth, the celebration of emancipation from slavery in Texas, which took place on June 19, 1865—more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation had gone into effect in the rest of the nation. Jessica Carbone, PhD, food historian and contributing editor to SAVEUR and Joanne Hyppolite, PhD, Supervisory Curator of the African Diaspora, Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, will host this cooking demonstration.

Register here.

Friday, October 18 | Cooking Up History
Spicing up an Iconic Kitchen: Sharing Chile-Glazed Country Ribs with Julia Child in 1995
12:30 p.m.–1:15 p.m.

Chef Rick Bayless will prepare a dish from his book Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen—a dish he prepared with Julia Child in her home kitchen for the television series, In Julia’s Kitchen with Master Chefs (1995). He will discuss costillas adobadas, a chile-glazed country rib recipe he made with Julia, and share his memories of that experience, and more. 
L. Steven Velasquez, curator of Latino History and Culture, Division of Home and Community Life, National Museum of American History, will host this cooking demonstration.

Register here.

Friday, October 18 | Conversation Circle
Cultivating Community, Honoring Traditions, and Nourishing the Future
1:30 p.m.–2:15 p.m.

Alice Waters and Sean Sherman are owners of influential and iconic restaurants (Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California, and Owamni, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, respectively) that reflect their deeply held values regarding food production, activism, and health. They have also founded distinctive educational organizations (Edible Schoolyard and NATIFS, respectively) that bring people together to share knowledge of traditional foodways and community empowerment through food. Danielle Nierenberg, co-founder of Food Tank, will moderate a wide-ranging discussion among these two giants in the field of food history and culture.

Register here.

Friday, October 18 | Conversation Circle
The Future for Women in Food
2:30 p.m.–3:15 p.m.

Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken were among the first women to conceptualize, own, and operate their own restaurant, beginning with City Café, in Los Angeles, in 1981. Their innovative ideas helped grow their business and expand their influence into food television and community advocacy for women chefs, LGBTQ rights, and global gastrodiplomacy.

Join a discussion with these two remarkable women whose perspectives on changes in the food world can help us understand the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Anthea M. Hartig, PhD, Elizabeth MacMillan Director, Smithsonian's National Museum of American History will host this conversation.

Register here.

Saturday, October 19

Saturday, October 19 | Objects Out of Storage
The Smithsonian Food History Collections
11:30 a.m.–12:45 p.m.

The National Museum of American History’s food history curators work with the annual recipient of the Julia Child Award to identify objects and archival materials that reflect the essence of their culinary experiences and their contributions to the history of food in the United States. The awardees donate the objects and materials, which are then processed into the national collections. On this tenth anniversary of the Julia Child award, the curators are bringing a selection of those objects out of storage to share with the public.

Register here.

Saturday, October 19 | Conversation Circle
Julia Child’s Kitchen: A New Book and Fresh Look at a Beloved Artifact
1:00 p.m.–1:45 p.m.

Join museum curator Paula Johnson and photographer Jaclyn Nash as they talk about their new book on a timeless artifact—Julia Child’s kitchen, which has been on view in the National Museum of American History almost continuously since it was collected in 2001. The new book, published by Abrams and released on October 8, is a beautifully illustrated and carefully researched volume on the history and legacy of the kitchen, from its 1961 design to its place of honor in the museum’s exhibition FOOD: Transforming the American Table. Johnson and Nash will share how the book came together over several years and answer any questions you may have. Copies of the book will be available for sale and signing. 

Register here.

Saturday, October 19 | Cooking Up History
Cooking and Community: Updates from Chinatowns
2:00 p.m.–2:45 p.m.

Named “the poet laureate of the wok” by culinary historian Betty Fussell, Grace Young has served as a “wok whisperer” and “stir-fry guru” for students and frustrated cooks in need of guidance. She is the James Beard award-winning author of three cookbooks and videos that have introduced scores of Americans to traditional Chinese cuisine, demystifying ingredients, recipes, and culinary techniques. During the pandemic, Grub Street dubbed Grace the “accidental voice for Chinatown” and her advocacy for the preservation and protection of small businesses and Chinatowns across the country remains unwavering. Join Grace Young as she prepares a dish from one of her cookbooks and discusses the challenges facing America’s Chinatowns. Jessica Carbone, PhD, food historian and contributing editor to SAVEUR, and Yao-Fen You of the Smithsonian’s Asian Pacific American Center will host this cooking demonstration.

Register here.