Delancey (Wizenberg)

Author Bio
• Birth—1978
• Where—Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
• Education—B.A., Stanford University; University of Washington (graduate work)
• Currently—lives in Seattle, Washington


An intense love of food is nothing new to Molly Wizenberg, a former Ph.D. student at the University of Washington who now writes a popular food blog along with a full plate of other goodies.

Molly came to the UW after graduating from Stanford to study the cultural values surrounding the French social security system in the pursuit of becoming a medical anthropologist. Today, she is very far from that goal. Now she’s the author of Orangette, a tasty blog that mixes Molly’s life experiences with the foods she loves. She’s also the co-host of the humorous food podcast Spilled Milk as well as a columnist for various food magazines, author of two books: A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen Table, as well as Delancey: A Man, a Woman, a Restaurant, a Marriage, about the Delancey Pizzeria she co-owns with husband Brandon Pettit.

Molly has become a true foodie of Seattle. “I’m just grateful to earn a living doing work that I love,“ she said. “That’s the best part, hands down.“

Orangette is the blog Molly began in 2004 just after leaving the cultural anthropology program at UW. Since then, she has shared with readers stories about her past, her love of food and many innovations on new and old recipes. The stories she tells on Orangette are heartfelt and honest, and her inner self shows through completely. In the story of living in France and having leeks vinaigrette prepared by her host mother, readers can feel the love of learning about new food. Likewise, her enjoyment of summer is evident in the raspberry yogurt popsicles she shared with readers last July.

Through her blog, Molly met the man she is married to. Their wedding was unintentionally on the anniversary of the day she started the blog. Brandon has a Master’s in music composition from Brooklyn College, and came to the UW for a Ph.D. before leaving to open Delancey, which opened near Ballard High School in 2009. It is revered for its fired pizzas and chocolate chip cookies. “Brandon is there each night, tending the pizza oven,“ Molly said. “We’ve never been open without him there.“ Molly and Brandon gave birth to a daughter shortly after opening the Essex bar, next to Delancey. (Adapted from the University of Washington Alumni Association’s blog.)