French-born chef George Mavrothalassitis has never seen Julia Child's TV cooking show or even her groundbreaking book, "Mastering the Art of French Cooking." But he does know, and enjoy, cuisine bourgeoisie, the style of cooking that Child learned, wrote about and taught to American foodies.

Now, as Sony Pictures prepares to launch "Julie & Julia," a film about Child and the blogger, Julie Powell, who renewed interest in Child's work, Chef Mavro restaurant is reviving some of the dishes that are featured in the film. They are dishes — frisée salad with bacon, poached eggs and croutons, boeuf bourguignon and tarte tatin — that, after the chef hosted a preview of the movie in Honolulu a couple of weeks ago, whetted the appetites of Island gourmets for these classic but now less-often-seen recipes.

The dinners are available any Friday or Saturday in August from 6-9:30 p.m. with a menu including three courses, plus Mavro's signature amuse bouche, pre-dessert and housemade sweets. The price is $59 per person (exclusive of drinks).

The chef explained that cuisine bourgeoisie is not "home cooking," in the sense of being the dishes your mother would serve. It's the cuisine of the class of people who could afford cooks and maids — distinct from restaurant-style French cuisine but not the food of average folk, either. These cooks to the upper class were always women, just as the chefs in restaurants were always men.

The menu, he said, is a departure for him professionally, more folksy than his normal style. "This is not the regular Chef Mavro."

Reservations are required: 944-4714 or e-mail chef@chefmavro.com.

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