08/16/2026
Happy Birthday, Julia Child! 🎉
This weekend we celebrate the woman who forever changed the way we cook—and the way recipes are written. Julia’s insistence on clear, repeatable recipes transformed cookbook publishing and continues to influence how we write recipes today.
Here in Santa Barbara, her legacy lives on through the annual SB Culinary Experience, benefiting the Julia Child Foundation.
We are still reliving the memories of a very special event: an intimate fireside conversation with Phila Cousins, Julia’s niece, and Alex Prud’homme, Paul Child’s grand-nephew and co-author of My Life in France. They shared family stories, answered audience questions—including the inspiration behind the iconic Dan Aykroyd SNL sketch—and offered a rare glimpse into Julia and Paul’s lives beyond the spotlight.
The evening continued with a candlelit garden dinner at The Steward Hotel The Steward, featuring Julia-inspired classics including duck confit, beef Bourguignon and peach clafoutis, paired with wines from Grassini Family Vineyards and Alma Rosa Winery, plus a refreshing Garden Spritz of elderflower liqueur, Champagne, lemon verbena, grapefruit zest and fresh basil created by the Steward for this special event.
As the sun set, conversation flowed as easily as the wine—exactly the kind of connection Julia believed great food should create. More than hearing her stories, it was an opportunity to better understand the people she and Paul were when they were authentically themselves. Just as important: we got to see through the next generations of Phila and Alex: It’s what you do with that experience, and who you become.
Here’s hoping this inaugural event becomes a cherished tradition. We talked long into the night and wished we could meet again, next year. Join us at the table for a culinary experience on the beautiful grounds of the Steward.
