You probably think of Julia Child as the queen of fancy French cooking, whipping up complicated soufflés and perfect croissants. But what if I told you this famous chef had a secret fast food obsession? It’s true! The woman who taught America how to master French cuisine had a surprising go-to when she wanted a quick meal. And it wasn’t some fancy gourmet sandwich or high-end salad. Julia’s favorite fast food was much more down-to-earth, showing she was just like the rest of us when it came to guilty pleasures.
She carried a list of locations in her purse
Julia Child didn’t just casually enjoy her favorite fast food – she was seriously committed to it. The master chef actually kept a detailed list of every In-N-Out Burger location between San Francisco and Santa Barbara tucked away in her purse. Imagine that! The woman who wrote “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” had a cheat sheet for burger joints. She didn’t want to miss a single opportunity to grab her favorite fast food while traveling through California.
This wasn’t just a casual habit – Julia planned entire road trips around where she could stop for an In-N-Out burger. One friend recalled taking a drive up the California coast with Julia, and they made sure to eat In-N-Out burgers in the car on the way up. On the return trip, they even went inside the Santa Maria location to enjoy their meal properly. For Julia, these burger stops weren’t just convenient food breaks – they were essential planned destinations that she looked forward to with genuine excitement.
She requested In-N-Out while in the hospital
Julia’s dedication to In-N-Out went beyond everyday cravings. When she was recovering from knee surgery in the hospital, she didn’t settle for bland hospital food. Instead, she requested that friends bring her In-N-Out burgers. Most people might ask for flowers or get-well cards, but Julia wanted those fresh beef patties and special sauce. This wasn’t just food to her – it was comfort during a difficult time, bringing a taste of joy during recovery.
Imagine being her nurse and seeing Julia Child, the famous French chef, happily unwrapping an In-N-Out burger in her hospital bed! The woman known for elegant dishes and sophisticated techniques choosing fast food over whatever the hospital cafeteria offered. It shows how genuine her love for these burgers really was. She didn’t put on airs or pretend to be above simple pleasures just because she was famous. When Julia wanted a burger, she wanted a burger – surgeon’s orders or not.
Why In-N-Out matched her food philosophy
Julia’s love for In-N-Out wasn’t random – it actually made perfect sense with her overall food philosophy. The burger chain is famous for its focus on fresh ingredients and made-to-order preparation. They don’t use frozen patties or pre-packaged ingredients. Their commitment to quality ingredients and rejection of preservatives and additives aligned perfectly with Julia’s own cooking standards. She always emphasized the importance of fresh, high-quality ingredients in her recipes.
In-N-Out’s simple, streamlined menu also reflected Julia’s belief that good food doesn’t need to be complicated. Despite teaching complex French techniques, she valued straightforward preparation that let ingredients shine. In-N-Out’s limited menu focuses on doing a few items exceptionally well rather than offering dozens of mediocre options. This “quality over quantity” approach resonated with Julia, who once said you don’t need fancy ingredients, just good ones. The chain’s refusal to compromise quality by expanding too quickly also impressed her – they stayed true to their standards rather than chasing quick profits.
She wasn’t the only famous chef who loved it
Julia wasn’t alone in her love for In-N-Out among culinary stars. Many other celebrity chefs have expressed their fondness for the chain, including Ina Garten, who has mentioned that she rarely eats fast food but makes a special exception for In-N-Out when she’s in California. Garten has specifically mentioned that knowing it was Julia’s favorite makes her trips there even more special, creating a connection between these two cooking icons through their shared burger appreciation.
Other famous chefs like David Chang and the late Anthony Bourdain have also been vocal about their admiration for In-N-Out. This widespread endorsement from culinary professionals speaks volumes about the chain’s quality. It’s not just random celebrity endorsements – these are people who have dedicated their lives to understanding good food. When multiple chefs with refined palates and high standards all point to the same fast food chain as exceptional, it validates Julia’s choice. Her appreciation for In-N-Out wasn’t just personal preference – it was a professional chef recognizing quality, even in a fast food setting.
She enjoyed other simple foods too
In-N-Out wasn’t Julia’s only unexpected food love. She also had a soft spot for Costco hot dogs, often stopping at the Goleta store for a quick bite. This might have been influenced by her time in Germany during the 1950s, where she developed an appreciation for good sausages. Julia also enjoyed simple meals like hamburgers and baked potatoes with butter at home. These everyday foods gave her just as much pleasure as the elaborate French dishes she was known for creating.
Julia’s enjoyment of these simple foods made her more relatable to home cooks across America. While she could make a perfect duck à l’orange or beef bourguignon, she wasn’t above enjoying a good hot dog or burger. This balanced approach to food helped make French cooking less intimidating to average Americans. If Julia Child could appreciate both haute cuisine and fast food, then maybe the average person could try making a French recipe without feeling like a fraud. Her openness about enjoying all kinds of food, regardless of its fanciness, made her a more accessible teacher and a beloved figure in American kitchens.
How her fast food love changed her public image
Julia’s openness about enjoying In-N-Out and other casual foods helped shape her public image as down-to-earth and approachable. In an era when many food professionals kept up pretenses of only enjoying the finest cuisine, Julia’s honesty about her fast food indulgences was refreshing. She didn’t hide her diverse food preferences, even when they might have seemed at odds with her French cooking expertise. This authenticity made her more relatable to viewers who might otherwise have been intimidated by her culinary skills.
Her willingness to embrace both high and low cuisine also challenged food snobbery. Julia actively opposed elitism in the food world, believing good food could come in many forms regardless of price or status. By publicly enjoying In-N-Out, she demonstrated that food should be judged on its own merits rather than its price tag or fancy reputation. This philosophy helped countless home cooks feel more confident in their kitchens, knowing that even Julia Child – the master of French cooking – appreciated a good fast food burger when the mood struck. Her approach to food was about quality and enjoyment, not pretense.
Julia Child’s love for In-N-Out burgers reminds us that good food doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive. This French cooking icon found joy in simple pleasures, teaching us that what matters most is quality ingredients and care in preparation – whether it’s a gourmet soufflé or a fast food burger. Her unpretentious approach to food made French cooking accessible to Americans and showed us all that it’s okay to enjoy what we truly like, regardless of what others might expect.
