Julia Child Loved This Costco Food Court Item

While she was undeniably talented, Julia Child was so appealing to American audiences because she was immensely passionate about food and cooking. Credited with introducing French cuisine at a time when American culinary traditions were focused on ease and convenience, Child is often associated with sophisticated dishes like Boeuf Bourguignon and Niçoise Salad. Despite her fancy culinary pedigree (Child attended the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu cooking school in Paris), the chef and TV show host also indulged in eats favored by the common folk. According to her 2012 biography, "Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child," Child adored Costco hot dogs. 

The chain's sizable and deliciously snappy food court item was a favorite of the chef's, explained Eric Spivey, friend and chairperson of the Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and Culinary Arts. "She really thought the Costco hot dogs were good," Spivey told Los Angeles Magazine while highlighting some of Child's favorite spots to eat in Santa Barbara. Though it's a little surprising that a world-class chef enjoyed the same food as we goblins who occasionally eat cold French fries over the sink, it actually makes sense. Her famous recipes were often complex, but they could also be characterized as comfort food, much like Costco's famous hot dog.

While Julia Child's zest for Costco hot dogs was well-documented, it's not entirely clear when or where she discovered this simple yet delicious food court item. Based on Eric Spivey's remembrances of her time in Santa Barbara, it's possible the chef discovered the item later in life, as she didn't move to the city until 2001, just three years before her death. However, she could have encountered them elsewhere much earlier, as the first Costco food court opened in 1984 (when the store was still known as Price Club). 

As a tried and true gourmand, Child loved a wide range of cuisines and dishes. She reportedly adored feasting at Chinese restaurants, preferring Cantonese dishes to spicier Sichuan cooking. Child also frequented La Super-Rica Taqueria in Santa Barbara, though she was reportedly not a huge fan of cilantro (perhaps she was one of the mysterious and misunderstood supertasters among us?). In addition to her love of Costco hot dogs, Child was a fan of In-N-Out Burger and preferred a simple tuna salad sandwich when having lunch at home.