Juila Child's Secert Life

Submitted by Dicky Pearce

February 25th, 2023

Welcome to the series that uncovers the hidden lives of spies. Our first article delves into the fascinating story of Julia Child, a renowned figure in the culinary world. You may be old enough to remember her popular TV show "The French Chef" or have come across one of her many cookbooks on your grandparent's bookshelf, but few people are aware of her contributions to western intelligence bureaus. In this article, we will explore the lesser-known but fascinating aspect of her career and reveal why she was the perfect intelligence asset.

Child's Origins

Julia Child was born on August 15, 1912, in Pasadena, California. Her father, John McWilliams Jr., was a successful businessman, and her mother, Julia Carolyn Weston, was a paper-company heiress. Child was the eldest of three children, she attended Smith College and graduated with a degree in history in 1934. After college, Child moved to New York City, where she worked as a copywriter for a furniture company. The background was grim, WWII had officially kicked off on August 31, 1939, and Hilter and The Third Reich were gaining ground across Europe. In 1941, Child decided to join the war effort and signed up for the Women's Army Corps.

Early Work

In 1942, Child’s military career began. She was stationed in Washington, D.C., where she was initially assigned to file paperwork for the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the predecessor to the CIA. However, Child quickly became restless. In 1943, Child began training in intelligence gathering, including how to encrypt and decrypt messages, how to use a radio, and how to blend in with local populations. Her first assignment was in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), where she worked as a typist for the OSS's secret intelligence branch.

In 1944, Child was transferred to Kandy, a city in central Ceylon. Her primary role was to keep records of the OSS's activities in the region, but she also helped to build a spy network by recruiting locals to gather intelligence on the Japanese. Child was known for her outgoing personality and her ability to connect with people from all walks of life, which made her an effective recruiter.

Child's work in Ceylon was vital to the Allied war effort. The OSS was gathering intelligence on the Japanese army's movements and plans, and Child’s job was to transmit that information back to Washington. She also helped to coordinate missions that would disrupt Japanese supply lines and gather more intelligence. One of Child’s most significant achievements as a spy was helping to uncover a secret Japanese airfield in the jungle. She and her colleagues had heard rumors of the airfield but couldn't confirm its existence. Child used her connections with the locals to find the airfield. The information she gathered was critical in planning a successful bombing mission that destroyed the airfield and prevented the Japanese from using it to launch further attacks.

Hollywood

After her time as a spy during World War II, Child returned to the United States and started a new career as a chef and cooking instructor. Her popular cooking show, "The French Chef," premiered in 1963 and quickly became a hit with viewers. However, what many people don't know is that Child continued to work with the CIA during her time as a TV personality.

The official story was that she did not work for them as a spy, but as an informal consultant. According to her biographer, Bob Spitz, the CIA was interested in exploring how food could be used in intelligence gathering, and they turned to Child for her expertise. One of the ways in which Child worked with the CIA was by helping to develop recipes that could be used to communicate secret messages. For example, a recipe that called for a specific sequence of ingredients or cooking times could be used to convey coded messages to agents in the field. Child also helped to create menus for CIA events, which were designed to impress foreign dignitaries and other VIPs.

Officially, Child was not considered an official CIA employee. The public was painted a story that she did not have access to classified information, her work with the agency was limited to her knowledge of food and cooking, and she was happy to help the CIA in any way she could and saw it as a way to continue serving her country. In interviews, Child was always careful to downplay her work with the CIA, saying that she was simply providing advice and assistance when asked. However, Child had a restless spirit about her, after work helping plan bombing missions, would she really be content planning out stately dinners for big wigs or was there more to Child’s story? 

Child was not officially recognized as a CIA employee during her time in Hollywood, the public was led to believe that her involvement with the agency was limited to her culinary expertise, and that she had no access to classified information. Nevertheless, her willingness to assist the agency in any way she could was evident. Despite her careful attempts to downplay her role, Child‘s restlessness and ambitious spirit left many wondering whether there was more to her story beyond planning stately dinners for high-ranking officials, especially considering her previous military involvement, like creating spy rings and planning bombing missions.

Spycraft and the intelligentsia

Operation Mockingbird was a covert operation launched by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in the 1950s to influence media outlets and journalists in the United States and abroad. The operation's goal was to shape public opinion and control the narrative of events, both domestically and internationally. The CIA recruited journalists, editors, and publishers, and used a variety of methods, such as providing them with information and story ideas, offering them exclusive access to news and events, and using financial incentives to gain their cooperation. The operation was highly controversial and raised concerns about the ethics of government interference in the free press. Although the CIA officially ended the operation in the 1970s, its legacy continues to be a subject of ongoing debate.

Hollywood stars have long been sought after by intelligence agencies for their ability to blend in and their access to powerful people and events. During the Cold War, many Hollywood stars were asked to do intelligence work for the United States government. They were seen as a valuable asset due to their fame, charisma, and connections. Hollywood stars also had experience playing different roles and adapting to different situations, making them well-suited for the espionage world. And Child was a perfect fit to continue the job well after the Cold War came to an end.

One famous example is Marilyn Monroe, who was reportedly approached by the FBI to spy on her ex-husband, Arthur Miller, and his alleged ties to communism. Another well-known Hollywood star who did spy work during the Cold War was Ronald Reagan. Before he became a politician, Reagan worked for the FBI as an informant, reporting on suspected communist activity in Hollywood. Another Hollywood actor who did intelligence work during this time was John Wayne, who was approached by the CIA to do undercover work for them. Their stories serve as a reminder of the complex and often surprising intersections between the worlds of entertainment and espionage.

Conclusion

Julia Child's life as a spy is a unique and exciting tale, and we hope her work as an intelligence officer for the Allied war effort won’t be forgotten. It's a testament to her character that she was willing to take on such a dangerous role and to do so with such enthusiasm and skill. While she is best known for her cooking show and cookbooks, Child's contributions to the war effort are an essential part of her legacy. She passed away peacefully in her sleep at her home in Montecito, California, on August 13, 2004, at the age of 91. Child's legacy as a chef, author, and television personality continues to inspire and influence generations of food enthusiasts around the world. As this series of articles continues, stories serve as a reminder of the complex and often surprising intersections between the worlds of entertainment and espionage.