Judith Jones: champion of Anne Frank, Julia Child, and Cooking for One

After battling Alzheimer’s disease, legendary editor and author Judith Jones has passed. While not a household name, Jones had a significant impact on American culture.

Growing up, The Diary of Anne Frank was required reading at my school. Like many other students, I begrudging read the mandatory assignment. But that mandatory read became a life lesson. These life lessons would return time and again as my life matured. If not for legendary editor and writer, Judith Jones, the story of Anne Frank may have been overlooked.

While publishing stories can have the occasional embellishment, Judith Jones’ connection to The Diary of Anne Frank is legendary. As a young editor, Jones insisted that The Diary of Anne Frank find its audience. After being deeply affected by the book, she felt that others would find purpose in the World War II tale. Jones was right and the book has become a literary classic.

But Jones did not stand on her laurels after her success with The Diary of Anne Frank. She rescued another infamous book from the literary trash can. Jones was the driving force behind Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

Before all the recipe videos, food television shows, and foodie culture, American cuisine was bland, boring, and uncreative. When Mastering the Art of French Cooking was published, home cooks really couldn’t cook. Cooking was a means to an end, rather than enjoyment. This cookbook transformed cooking and good food into a delicious endeavor.

If not for Julia Child’s cookbook, the U.S. food culture may not be where it is today. This cookbook made French cooking approachable for the home cook. A few ingredients may be difficult to say. Still, there is enjoyment in the process and the final product is quite delicious.

Granted, today’s home cook may not be flipping through Mastering the Art of French Cooking for Monday night dinner. But this cookbook changed how the regular home cook thought about and prepared food. Good food didn’t need to be prepared by a man with a tall, white hat, and a crisp chef’s coat. Anyone, with good ingredients, a little patience, and confidence could be a master in her own kitchen.

Throughout her career, Jones had a significance impact on the culinary world. Well-known chefs, like James Beard, Jacques Pepin, and Lidia Bastianich, all had cookbooks edited by Jones. She brought all types of cuisines out of the professional kitchen and put them in the grasp of the home cook.

While a legendary editor, Jones was also an author herself. For any person who was inspired to cook, but had no one to cook for, Jones was his or her champion: The Pleasures of Cooking for One. So many recipes are intended for two or more. But, Jones’ cookbook didn’t tell the single person that she only deserved a simple meal. This cookbook scaled recipes so that one person can enjoy all the pleasures of cooking and good food. No leftovers were required.

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Judith Jones died on Wednesday at the age of 93. Through her long and successful career, Jones had a tremendous impact on American culture. Her influence can be seen from the classroom to the kitchen.