Food enthusiasts across America are flocking to see “Julie and Julia,” the new movie that tells the stories of the rise of the beloved matron of food TV and the blogger whose journey of self-discovery led her to cook all of Child’s dishes in a single year.

I haven’t seen the movie yet, but like millions of others of food lovers, from at-home cooks to professional chefs, I love Julia Child. At an age when many people settle into a life of mediocrity, and after a daring turn with a World War II-era spy agency, the six-foot-tall woman with a sing-song voice went on to become a food author, TV star and breast cancer survivor. These are all good reasons to love her. But my favorite part of Julia’s personality is that she was a willing mentor to so many young up-and-coming chefs.

This business needs more mentors. I’ve seen a lot of things in my years in the industry – first as a line cook, now as a publicist – and the saddest thing of all is when a rising young chef earning mountains of praise and reviews (that veterans would give their knife sets for) spin out of control. A toxic combination of ego, inexperience, and, often, drugs, is usually the culprit.

It’s easy to write these kids off as inevitable burnouts, destined for short stints in the spotlight. But I think it’s more complicated than that. See, when you’re up, that green-eyed horde suddenly appears, ready to feast on your indiscretions. They crave your ruin. And lest you think I’m being melodramatic, I witnessed this firsthand when I worked for Michael Jordan’s restaurant during his basketball glory days. First, people would ask me if he was nice; then they’d want the gossip (there was none, except he likes his margaritas blue).

The restaurant lifestyle is tough enough: long shifts, odd hours, no holidays, tough competition. Add the stress of living up to mounting expectations at the ripe old age of 24, and it can be enough to crack even the most well-adjusted young person. Julia took a genuine interest in many up-and-coming chefs, and many considered her a mentor. If more seasoned chefs made like Julia, and took as keen an interest in helping newbies manage their emotions as well as their culinary skills, the industry would be better for it.