After failing to see eye to eye on a handful of recipes, Julia and Simca propose a culinary showdown for a group of guests. At Hunter's birthday party, newcomer Elaine faces scrutiny from her coworkers.
Through Julia Child's life and her singular joie de vivre, the series explores a pivotal time in American history - the emergence of public television as a new social institution, feminism and the women's movement, the nature of celebrity and America's cultural evolution.