Julia Child
Beloved classic TV chef Julia Child was a young woman during World War II, so naturally her first work had nothing to do with cooking. Child worked as a research assistant in the Secret Intelligence division of the Office of Strategic Services, and created a shark repellent that kept marine animals out of the way of explosives that were meant for German U-Boats. It wasn’t until she was in her late 30s when Child first tried French food while on assignment in Paris with her husband, which led her to study at Le Cordon Bleu and begin her professional cooking career.