The Celebrity Chef Who Was Also A Spy For The Early CIA

Julia Child worked for a CIA precursor during World War II

Before she was sharing kitchen hacks to elevate store-bought French onion soup to a homemade level, Julia Child was busy developing shark repellents for soldiers during World War II. However, she wasn't the typical spy you might imagine. Her work took place primarily in an office in China, where she focused on creating a formula to deter sea creatures rather than preparing meals.

Julia Child served in the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the forerunner of the CIA, from 1942 to 1946—two decades prior to the release of her first cookbook. Initially, she was part of the Secret Intelligence Division before transitioning to the OSS Emergency Sea Rescue Equipment Section. It was during this time that she first delved into the art of recipe development. The objective was twofold: to deter inquisitive sharks from triggering underwater explosives and to keep them away from soldiers in the water. Child contributed to the formulation of a repellent made from copper acetate and black dye, which emitted the scent of a dead shark. This concoction was employed on explosives aimed at German U-boats and boasted a 60% success rate.

How Julia Child went from spy to famous TV chef

Julia Child's participation in World War II ignited her passion for French cuisine. During her final two years with the OSS, she left the United States to work in Ceylon, now known as Sri Lanka, and Kunming, China. In these locations, Child served as the Chief of the OSS Registry, managing highly classified communications from various OSS intelligence branches.

While stationed in India, Julia met her future husband, Paul Child, who was employed by the U.S. Foreign Service. After the war concluded, Julia left the OSS and married Paul. The couple relocated to Paris in 1948 for Paul's job, where Julia developed a keen interest in French cooking. She enrolled in a six-month course at Le Cordon Bleu to master French culinary techniques and joined a women's cooking club called Le Cercle des Gourmettes. During this period, she honed the skills that would later inspire her signature pre-Thanksgiving snack and learned to transform meals into works of art. It was also within these circles that Child met collaborators who would help her write the cookbook that launched her career.

After immersing herself in the French culinary world, Julia and Paul returned to the United States in the 1960s, settling in Cambridge, Massachusetts. There, Julia continued to build her reputation as a renowned chef, creating television programs and publishing numerous cookbooks until her passing in 2004.