1962. A year after the publication of her debut cookbook Julia Child appears on television for the first time. Despite reluctance from her husband Paul Julia’s guest spot on Boston’s WGBH unexpectedly airs to great acclaim. As Julia grapples with the onset of menopause and staying relevant into her 50s the intrepid chef hatches a plan for her own cooking show – one that just might change the way Americans think about food forever.

Facing mounting pressure from WGBH’s stodgy executives Julia turns to her closest confidantes for help navigating the ins-and-outs of an entirely new television genre. Forced to devise a way to cook a four-hour dish in under 28 minutes Julia and her friends get creative in the kitchen. But after a disastrous day on set the fate of The French Chef – and Julia’s career – hangs in the balance.

When the show proves too expensive for the station’s modest budget Julia attempts to save it… without actually knowing how she’ll foot the bill. Suddenly in over her head Julia turns to Avis for help with her cashflow problem. Meanwhile Alice finds herself at odds with her new assignment.

With their resident chef’s star on the rise WGBH struggles to keep the rest of their talent happy. Meanwhile Julia pays a visit to her alma mater Smith as Paul deals with a lackluster gallery opening and Alice explores a new strategy that could forever change public television.

After the show debuts in California Julia Paul Russ and Judith are summoned to San Francisco where the chef finds herself an even greater celebrity than in Boston. Out on the town with James Beard Julia takes in all that the Bay Area has to offer while Paul broods at the hotel. Back in Boston Avis and Alice connect while holding down the fort.

With the crew already over-extended and in desperate need of a vacation a bad roll of videotape leads to reshoots – and a questionable decision to replace chicken with a less savory cut of meat. With no time to spare Julia tasks Paul and Judith with cracking the art of baking French bread for her cookbook while Avis and Alice contend with another less delectable type of “bread.”