Julie Powell

Julie Powell was an American food writer and the creator of the popular blog the Julie/Julia Project that ran on Salon.com. She authored a cooking memoir, Julie & Julia (2005), which inspired a film starring Meryl Streep.

Not to be confused with Julie Elizabeth Powell, a British fantasy writer.

Julie Powell was born and raised in Austin. She attended college at Amherst College in Massachusetts, where she studied theater and creative writing. She attributed the most influence on her life and work to the book Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child.

After college, Powell moved to New York. She worked in various low-paying jobs before starting her cooking blog and embarking on her Julie/Julia Project.

As a cook with no training, Powell documented her struggles in the kitchen. While Powell would detail her challenges around cooking, she would also expound on her personal life, quickly growing an audience that was as interested in her feelings and relationships.

Julie Powell displayed a sarcastic, exasperated tone when discussing food and her life.

In 2005 she published Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen. The book was based on a series of her blog posts and instantly became a best-seller. In 2009, her memoir was adapted into a movie of the same name, in which Powell was portrayed by Amy Adams.

Her writing has also appeared in Bon Appétit, The New York Times, House Beautiful and Archaeology Magazine, etc.

Julie Powell won the James Beard Award twice.

Powell also appeared on Food Network's Iron Chef America and The Martha Stewart Show.

Julie Powell died of cardiac arrest caused by heart arrhythmia at their home in Olivebridge in upstate New York.

Photo credit: Twitter @licjulie