Who Was Julia Child's Husband? All About Paul Child

Julia Child and husband Paul Child

Julia Child's husband Paul Child wasn't nearly as famous as The French Chef star, but he played a major role in her success.

In The French Chef Cookbook, Julia honored Paul as "the man who is always there—porter, dishwasher, official photographer, mushroom dicer and onion chopper, editor, fish illustrator, manager, taster, idea man, resident poet and husband."

Paul even designed Julia's kitchen specifically for her to accommodate her 6'2" frame.

"He's responsible for everything I did," Julia told The Los Angeles Times in 1992 at a party in Paul's honor. "We worked together very closely." She credits Paul with sending her star soaring, as well as with her learning how to cook at all.

Get to know the man behind—and, for nearly five decades, beside—America's beloved TV chef.

Related: See Julia Child and Husband Paul's Adorable Valentines

Who was Julia Child married to?

Julia Child was married to Paul Cushing Child. The son of singer Bertha Child, Paul was born in Montclair, New Jersey, and raised in Boston. After studying at Columbia University, Paul became a teacher in France, as well as a fourth-degree black belt and judo instructor. (What a badass!)

In 1941, Paul began serving in the military's Office of Strategic Services (O.S.S.) for World War II—with his future wife.

Related: The Most Brilliant Julia Child Quotes

How did Julia Child meet Paul?

Paul Child met Julia, then Julia McWilliams, when they were each stationed in Kandy, Sri Lanka, during their respective military service in World War II's O.S.S. Paul and Julia's relationship began as friends, with Paul's brother Charles telling The New Yorker that Paul expressed appreciation for Julia's "crazy sense of humor," though he at times was frustrated with her "sloppy thinking."

"It wasn't like lightning striking the barn on fire," Paul reportedly wrote in a letter to Charles. "I just began to think, 'My God, this is a hell of a nice woman.'" Their friendship eventually blossomed into romance (evidenced in poetic love letters obtained by The Los Angeles Times). They married in 1946.

Julia credited Paul with introducing her to French cuisine and food as an abstract, as she had never grown up cooking. She described, via The New Yorker, a 1948 restaurant outing with Paulin Rouen, France (oysters, sole meunière, fromage blanc and a salad) as "the most important meal of [her] life."

Related: How David Hyde Pierce Channels Paul Child In Julia

How many children did Julia Child have?

Paul and Julia Child didn't have any children. However, her great-nephew, Alex Prud'homme, said she and Paul had "surrogate children" in the form of him, his sisters and his cousins. "They were generous with them and with a lot of other people," he wrote on his website. "They’d often come and stay with us and we'd watch her show on black and white TV. As a kid, it was like she just walked out of the TV."

Related: Julia Child and More Stars Who Found Success Later In Life

Did Julia Child and Paul divorce?

No! Paul and Julia Child took their "til death to us part" vow very seriously. The couple were married until his passing in 1994.

Julia reportedly dated and even had a boyfriend after Paul's death. Her niece, Phila Cousins, told The Los Angeles Times that while Julia outwardly moved on with her life after Paul's death, "She was very sad without Paul. I think she felt, in some ways, like half of her was missing. He was the love of her life."

We're not crying, you're crying.

Related: 10 Recipes to Channel Your Inner Julia Child

How much older was Paul than Julia?

Paul Child was 10 years older than Julia, and their age difference actually worked very well for the pair.

"I often compare their relationship to My Fair Lady, where she's the willing student, like Eliza Doolittle, and he's the sophisticated older man who tutors her in culture and art and politics," Prud’homme told The Los Angeles Times in 2021. "Paul was the leader of their relationship during the first half, and when he retired, everything flipped. It was very intentional." Prud’homme said that Paul described himself as "'the iceberg beneath the water,' where you just see the tip, but he's playing this massive role as the ballast—and you can't have one without the other."

The iceberg beneath the water became much more visible each February. Aside from Julia delighting viewers on air and through her books, she and Paul were famous among their loved ones for their Valentine's Day card tradition—for which Paul sometimes shared the spotlight with his megastar wife. Each year, they'd send a different Valentine, often including cheeky photos (including one of them in a bathtub with a heart reading "wish you were here") or Paul's humorous illustrations (like one of them depicted as angels).

Related: What Was Julia Child's Last Meal?

Who was Paul Child's first wife?

Paul Child was only married to Julia, but before he met her, he had one other serious relationship. According to The New Yorker, Paul lived with the mother of one of his students for a decade. She was 20 years his senior and they were together until her death, but little else is known about her.

Who is Paul Child's twin brother?

Paul Child's twin brother was Charles Child, a painter.

Related: Look Back at Julia Child's Time at Parade

How old was Paul Child when retired?

Paul Child was 60 years when he retired from his civil service career to Cambridge, Massachusetts, according to Smithsonian. However, he kept working alongside Julia, serving as a photographer, taste-tester and general right-hand man in everything she did.

How long did Paul Child live?

Paul Child, born Jan. 15, 1902, was 92 years old when he died on May 12, 1994.

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