As I’ve alluded to recently, I started a new job. My dream job. I’m the PR & Marketing Assistant for the Barbara Lynch Gruppo.  Barbara Lynch owns numerous restaurants and companies in Boston, including No. 9 Park, Menton, Sportello, Drink, B&G Oysters, The Butcher Shop, 9 at Home, and Stir. Needless to say, I have been eating well lately (as has Andrew).

Last night I had the privilege of attending one of the most special, moving events I’ve been to in my life – a birthday celebration for Julia Child at Menton, who would have been 100 years old yesterday.

I’m ashamed to say that as big of lover of food as I am, I had never watched Julia Child on television, read any of her books, or even glanced at any of her cookbooks until a few days ago. After researching Julia for the purposes of the event last night, I now know what a beautiful soul had been missing from my life. I am only glad that I was able to listen to her wisdom now, as a beginner home chef. Late is better than never I suppose. I will never again be afraid of trying something new in the kitchen, and failing. I will always go all in. I will never take myself too seriously, and above all, I will always keep learning, keep searching, and keep laughing. Here are some of her words of wisdom that I am so happy to share with you now:

“Cooking is like love; it should be entered into with abandon or not at all.”

“The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking you’ve got to have a what-the-hell attitude.”

“One of the secrets, and pleasures, of cooking is to learn to correct something if it goes awry; and one of the lessons is to grin and bear it if it cannot be fixed.”

“…No one is born a great cook, one learns by doing.”

“You’ll never know everything about anything, especially something you love.”

And most importantly

“If you’re afraid of butter, use cream.”