Monday, Nov 2, 2026
A Sweet Conversation: Cookbook Authors Leah Koenig & Susan Spungen on Jewish Desserts (with a Cookie Tasting Party)
6 pm Check In | 7 pm Program followed by Cookie Party!
$80 with book| $65 Weitzman Members select either The Dessert Queen or Cookie Party at check-out
$35 Admission – No Book
All tickets include the program, the Cookie Party, and free access to Colors of Creation!
Additional copies of the authors’ books will be available for purchase on site.
Live at The Weitzman
Join cookbook authors Leah Koenig and Susan Spungen for a moderated talk and Cookie Reception at The Weitzman, built around their books, The Dessert Table: 100 Joyful Jewish Sweets and Cookie Queen, as part of Sisterly Love Collective’s 2026 Cookbooks & Convos festival.
After the talk, savor a curated selection of treats from the books, lovingly baked by some of Philadelphia’s most exciting woman-owned bakeries. Mingle, munch, and meet the authors during a festive signing reception that’s equal parts party and community celebration.
About the Authors
Leah Koenig is the author of seven previous cookbooks, including the IACP Award–winning Portico: Cooking and Feasting in Rome’s Jewish Kitchen. Her writing and recipes have appeared in Food & Wine, Bon Appétit, and The New York Times, among others. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, and her new book, The Dessert Table: 100 Joyful Jewish Sweets, traces the 2,000-year-old tradition of Jewish sweets through recipes and stories from historic Jewish communities and up-and-coming diaspora bakeries.
Susan Spungen is a cook, food stylist, recipe developer, and cookbook author who served as Founding Food Editor at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia from its inception until 2003. She was Culinary Consultant and Food Stylist on the feature films Julie & Julia, It’s Complicated, and Eat, Pray, Love, and is the author of several cookbooks, including Recipes: A Collection for the Modern Cook.
About the Moderator
Kae Lani Palmisano The evening pairs conversation with cookies. Susan and Leah will sit down for a moderated talk — led by Kae Lani Palmisano, Philly Mag’s Emmy-winning food & travel storyteller — exploring Jewish dessert traditions: the holiday classics, the everyday treats, and the recipes that turn into rituals of their own. Following the talk, guests are invited to a Cookie Reception featuring local Philadelphia bakers, each offering their own take on recipes inspired by The Dessert Table and The Cookie Queen.
About the Bakers
Zoë Lukas, Whipped Bakeshop – Founder and Creative Director of Whipped Bakeshop, an appointment-only bakery in Fishtown, Philadelphia. With a degree in painting from the Maryland Institute College of Art, she brings an artist’s eye for color, texture, and detail to custom cakes, cupcakes, and cookies. Zoë moved to Philadelphia in 2003, worked for three of the city’s top bakeries, and opened Whipped Bakeshop in October 2009. Now in its 17th year, the bakery has won a Best of Philly award from Philadelphia Magazine, been featured on The Today Show and local TV including Fox 29, CBS Philly, and “The 10! Show,” and in outlets including Martha Stewart Living, Brides and Saveur. Whipped has created sweet treats for clients including Drew Barrymore, Jason and Kylie Kelce, Paul McCartney, Zayn Malik, Janet Jackson, and Jimmy Fallon. Zoë still paints regularly.
Mallory Valvano, Party Girl Worldwide – Party Girl is Philadelphia’s premiere culinary studio specializing in custom cakes, immersive food and dessert installations, food styling and modern catering. When it comes to celebrations, we believe food is the ultimate centerpiece. Our work sits at the intersection of art, design, and hospitality, transforming gatherings into visual, sensory experiences that spark curiosity, connection and make people smile.
Mona Wilson, It’s a Cupcake! Sweet & Savory Boutique, Owner & Executive Chef. Chef Mona Wilson, better known as Chef MoWils, or the Cupcake Sommelier, was born with a sweet tooth as big as her heart. Her love affair with chocolate began before she could walk and blossomed under the influence of strong women in her life, who infused every dish with love. At It’s a CupCake!, Chef Mona leads a boutique catering service specializing in artisan hors d’oeuvres and handcrafted desserts, created to elevate events across PA, NJ, and DE, destinations and travel to events—from weddings and galas to corporate functions and intimate showers. Her passion for flavor and presentation shines through mini bites and the creation of Savory CupCakes making every bite an experience. Her culinary creations have been featured in People Magazine, Food & Wine, Upscale Magazine, CupCake Wars and various TV shows and blogs.
The Bread Room, Part of High Street Hospitality Group. The Bread Room is a bakery, workshop, and event space from James Beard Award-winning restaurateur Ellen Yin and High Street Hospitality Group. Led by Head Chef Christina McKeough and Head Baker Kyle Wood, The Bread Room offers over 20 handmade viennoiseries and baked goods daily, blending classic and modern techniques. By night, the bakery transforms into a cozy workshop and event space with hands-on classes — a beloved staple from sister concept High Street.
Produced in partnership with Sisterly Love Collective as a part of Cookbooks and Convos.
