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 50s, 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 proves too expensive for the station's modest budget, Julia attempts to save it; Julia turns to Avis for help with her cash flow problem; 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.

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

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