Jacques Pépin Wins First Julia Child Award

Chef, author, and television personality Jacques Pépin was a close friend and frequent collaborator of Julia Child's, and Thursday the Julia Child Foundation announced that he would be the first recipient of the new award it has created in her honor.

Child established her foundation in 1995, and this year it debuted the Julia Child Award, which honors a person "who has made a profound and significant difference in the way America cooks, eats and drinks." Child's friend Jacques Pépin seems like the clear choice for the inaugural award.

Pépin has written numerous cookbooks and in 2001 won a Daytime Emmy for Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home with Julia Child.

"He is someone who deeply believes in teaching others about food and wine. He has also invested time in helping others," said Eric Spivey, the chairman of the Julia Child Foundation.

Pépin will receive the award at a gala event at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C., on October 22.

In addition to the award, which is shaped like a copper pan and engraved with Pépin's name, the Julia Child Foundation will donate $50,000 to a food-related charity of Pépin's choice.