Only in New Orleans

The Joy of Julia Child

Read the whole article but this is the "only in New Orleans" gem:
Child and Robert Mondavi founded the American Institute of Wine and Food and came here for three days to promote it. Brigtsen was one of four chefs chosen to give concurrent demonstrations on stage at Macy's. He made her Chicken Provencal and came up with pesto popcorn rice, still a favorite, to go with it.

"It was just a ball," Brigtsen said. "We were all up there cooking and she would go from chef to chef and kibitz with us and schmooze and make jokes.

"What I loved about Julia is she was so disarming. Here was this incredible icon, and she was the most warm, friendly, personable person you'd ever want to meet."

That evening, she came to eat at Brigtsen's restaurant.

"I've never been so nervous," he said. "We were fairly young then, too, and it was just an incredible honor for her to dine with us.

"During the course of the evening, there was a gentleman waiting in the hall to use the restroom. The door opened, and out came Julia Child. He said that was like going to church and seeing Jesus come out of the bathroom."