NYT Cooking Author Tanya Sichynsky in Conversation w/ Chef Mike Ransom

Vesper Books and Wine invites you to an intimate afternoon celebrating Tanya Sichynsky and her work in a moderated discussion alongside 3x James Beard Award Semifinalist for Best Chef: Great Lakes, Chef Michael Ransom, of Ima, SuperCrisp, Ima Izakaya, and Summertown Fresh Bar.

Bringing together the worlds of food writing, restaurants, cookbooks, and culinary storytelling, the afternoon will explore how recipes become stories, how personal experiences shape the way we cook and write about food, and how food can create connection and community.

Rather than a traditional author talk, Tanya will be joined by Chef for a lively, moderated conversation that brings together their different perspectives on food, creativity, writing, and hospitality.

The afternoon will include:

• A moderated conversation with Tanya Sichynsky and Chef Mike Ransom
• Audience Q&A
• A special tasting moment inspired by the conversation
• An opportunity to meet Tanya and have her book signed IRL
• A curated selection of cookbooks available for purchase at Vesper
• Wine, cocktails, and non-alcoholic beverages available for purchase throughout the event

Come early to browse Vesper’s robust cookbook collection, grab a glass of wine, and settle in for an afternoon centered around food, books, and conversation.

Featured Guests

Tanya Sichynsky

Tanya Sichynsky is a food writer and cookbook author whose work explores the ways food intersects with culture, memory, creativity, and everyday life.

Chef Michael Ransom

Chef Michael Ransom is the chef behind Detroit restaurant institutions including Ima, SuperCrisp, Ima Izakaya, and Summertown Fresh Bar. Across his restaurants, Ransom’s cooking continues to reflect the influences that have shaped him along the way: from the orchards and gardens of northern Michigan to Detroit, Chicago, San Francisco, and Baltimore. His approach brings together Japanese flavors, Midwestern seasonality, classical technique, and a straightforward belief in making thoughtful, comforting food. Reflecting the largely vegetarian kitchen he grew up in, Ransom has also made vegan and vegetarian cooking a consistent part of his restaurants, with an emphasis on creating plant-based dishes that feel integral to the menu rather than an afterthought.

At the heart of Ransom’s restaurants is a simple approach to hospitality: make people feel welcome, comfortable, and cared for. That sense of generosity extends from the way guests are received to the accessibility of the menus and the spaces themselves. For Ransom, good food and genuine hospitality are inseparable, both rooted in the same sense of care that first drew him to cooking.

What Your Ticket Includes

Your ticket includes:

✓ Admission to the author conversation
✓ Audience Q&A
✓ Special tasting moment
✓ Book signing opportunity
✓ Access to the full Vesper Books and Wine experience

Books, wine, cocktails, and additional food will be available for purchase separately.