Julia has received numerous honours, including the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal and the Paul Harris Fellow, recognizing her contributions to healthy living in Canada. She has also been an active member of the Oakville Chamber of Commerce, serving as Chair for the 2012–2013 term.

Julia’s cooking show, Return to the Table with Julia on TV Cogeco, is now in its ninth season and features guests sharing personal stories while preparing meals together.

Julia ran in the 2022 Oakville municipal election for Mayor, and will be running again in the 2026 Oakville election.

Julia began her journey in the restaurant industry at the age of 26 with the opening of her first restaurant, Café Galleria, in Downtown Oakville. In 1993, she established Paradiso, the first Mediterranean-inspired restaurant in the town. Following its success, she created Ristorante Julia, built on the belief that "one should never sacrifice taste for nutrition or nutrition for taste. One can have it all." The restaurant featured her signature “Lataliano” cuisine, blending Italian and Latin influences, and she sold it in January 2018. Her most recent restaurant venture in Oakville is Ritorno, a return to her Italian roots.

Ritorno also reflects Julia’s commitment to community and connection, inviting guests to bring photos of their mothers and grandmothers to be placed on the Nonna Wall in celebration of the women who have shaped their lives.

Beyond her restaurants, Julia is deeply committed to public health and education through her not-for-profit initiative, HealthyFam. In 2009, alongside founding partner Longo’s, she launched the Kids Culinary Community, a hands-on program empowering children through food literacy. In 2013, she expanded this work through HealthyFam to support children, families, and seniors in building foundations for healthy living.