A year after the publication of her debut cookbook, Julia Child appears on television for the first time. As Julia grapples with the onset of menopause and staying relevant into her fifties, she hatches a plan for her own cooking show.

Facing mounting pressure from executives, Julia turns to her closest confidantes for help navigating the ins-and-outs of an entirely new television genre; after a disastrous day on set, Julia's career hangs in the balance.

When the show goes over budget, Julia doubles down on her efforts to continue making her dream a reality; as Paul contends with his fearsome father-in-law, Alice struggles with her new assignment.

As WGBH reap the rewards of their new star's efforts, a jealous rival threatens the station's burgeoning success; Julia struggles with the price of fame; Paul begins to accept defeat; Alice changes tack.

After the show debuts in California, Julia, Paul, Russ, and Judith journey to San Francisco, where Julia discovers she has a significant fan base.

A bad roll of videotape leads to reshoots and a dubious decision to replace chicken with less savoury meat.