The First Dish Julia Child Made On TV Is A Breakfast Classic

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Open the pages of any Julia Child cookbook, and you'll find classic French mains, such as beef bourguignon and coq au vin. However, the first dish the American author ever made on TV was actually a breakfast classic: A tender and creamy French omelet.

Child may be best known for hosting the cooking show "The French Chef," which premiered nationally in 1963, but her first TV appearance actually took place a year earlier on a local Boston public television station. In an episode of "I've Been Reading," Child made a French omelet on a hot plate in a bid to promote her debut cookbook, "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" (she brought a copper bowl, a whisk, and some eggs along with her). In typical style, she was her usual enthusiastic self and started to whip up egg whites to "enliven the talk."

Omelets come in several forms, such as the American version, which is folded over and often contains a filling, like cheese or veggies, or the fluffier soufflé variety that contains whisked egg whites. A French omelet, on the other hand, is far simpler and is made by pouring beaten eggs, seasoned simply with salt and pepper, into a hot pan with a pat of butter. The exterior of a French omelet is pale yellow with no signs of browning, while the center is tender, creamy, and light.

Appearing on that first show allowed Child to exhibit her personality and accessible cooking style to an audience, which proved to be one of the most significant moments of her career. "In response to that little book program, [the station] received twenty-seven more or less favorable letters from viewers", she wrote in her memoir titled "My Life in France". "I don't think one of them mentioned the book," she continued, "but they did say things like 'Get that woman back on television. We want to see some more cooking!'"

This audience interest catalyzed the creation of Child's own cooking series, which ran for 10 seasons and included 206 episodes. Indeed, her swift technique for making a French omelet is fully showcased in an early episode of "The French Chef," where she begins by pouring beaten eggs into a skillet of foamy butter. She then tosses the eggs in the pan at speed using the handle alone until the exterior is lightly set before gently transferring the omelet onto a plate so it can roll in on itself. 

Jerking the pan while the eggs are cooking ensures that they're constantly in movement, which prevents them from burning and guarantees that they don't develop a rubbery and overcooked texture. While some might say that going low and slow is the key to making the perfect French omelet, Child's method takes less than a minute and is a joy to watch.