Julia Child Boeuf Bourguignon Cookoff in Walla Walla!

The Julia Child Boeuf Bourguignon Cookoff Contest is Friday, Feb. 5 from 5-7 pm at Someone's In the Kitchen, located at the corner of 4th and W. Rose, downtown Walla Walla. This event is co-sponsored by Walla Walla Lifestyles Magazine and the Downtown Walla Walla Foundation. It was inspired by the movie "Julie & Julia."

If you are not familiar with the movie, "Julie & Julia", it depicts events in the life of chef Julia Child in the early years of her culinary career, while contrasting her life with Julie Powell. In 2002, Powell aspired to cook all 524 recipes from Child's cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking during a single year. Powell also shares her experiences online about her experiences cooking the recipes in a blog named, The Julie/Julia Project which led to a book and of course, a movie. The movie itself is a must-see for foodies, wine lovers and of course, wine and food bloggers. I left the theatre with this need to cook Boeuf Bourguignon, chocolate cake and omelettes. In fact, I swung open the door to my house and greeted my dog and two cats singing in a high pitched voice, "Bonjour!"

Now, here is how this contest works - contestants will deliver their dishes at 4:45 pm to Someone's In the Kitchen. Local Chef/Judges and guests arrive at 5 p.m. The judging chefs will be escorted into SITK's "Green Room" and judging will begin at 5:15 p.m. It's quite an impressive list of local judges:

• Jamie Guerin, Whitehouse Crawford
• Jake Crenshaw, T. Maccarone’s
• Bear Ullman, The Marc
• Gene Soto, Someone’s in the Kitchen
• Damon Burke, Salumiere Cesario
• Michael Kline, Walla Walla Bread Company
• Noah Viavant, Brasserie Four

For $15 a ticket, you will definitely be wined and dined. You will enjoy Boeuf Bourguignon and a wine pairing from Walla Walla's Sapolil Cellars (they have generously donated the wine). You will be entertained with the warblings of the French sparrow, Edith Piaf singing in the background and Julia's PBS series "The French Chef" will be playing. And last but not least, "Julia Child," (aka local actor Topher Murphy) will be the MC -- commenting on her life, the importance of wine with food, the need for butter and "she'll" be presenting the award to the winner -- the two-volume set of "Mastering the Art of French Cooking."

A portion of the proceeds will go to Providence St. Mary Medical Center Patient Care. The Cancer Center's spokesperson, Mardi Hagerman, will be on hand to talk about what the donation will do for Patient Care, such as assists in purchasing wigs, transportation to and from hospital to name a few of the needs.

The sponsors are asking that all contestants send in their recipes ahead of time so they might compile them for a small booklet. The winning recipe will be printed in the March issue of Walla Walla Lifestyles. The contest will be filmed by the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin and being photographed for Lifestyles. Available at Book & Game,Downtown Walla Walla Foundation, Tourism Walla Walla Info Booth, and at the door.

For sure, I am not going to miss it and will report back with the winner and the highlights. Bon Appetit!