Secrets, Spells, and Chocolate Book Launch

Date and Time

Saturday, Jan 31, 2026 11am - 1pm

Location

Details

Join us in the Rooftop at Ginger and Baker for a book release party for Secrets, Spells, and Chocolate, a whimsical new adventure for YA readers set at a magical culinary school, from acclaimed pastry chef and Top Chef contestant Marisa Churchill.

Marisa will be joined by Olympic swimmer Allison Wagner, for a lively discussion on competition, and our friends at Rodelle Vanilla, based here in Fort Collins, will join us to talk quality baking ingredients and share samples of their vanilla products!

Your ticket includes a copy of the book, pie samples featuring one of Marisa’s recipes (using our famous G&B pie crust and Rodelle vanilla), and more!

About Secrets, Spells, and Chocolate: Sylvie Jones has been dreaming of attending her mom’s alma mater, Brindille School of Culinary Arts and Magic, since she was old enough to reach the stove. Unfortunately, her last name has a horrible stain on it, something that could destroy her dream. So when Sylvie is given the chance to prove her skills and put an end to the rumors that her mother cheated her way to victory at the most prestigious magical cooking competition, The Golden Whisk, she takes it. But the opportunity may not be all that it’s cracked up to be. If Sylvie truly wants to make her own mark and earn a place at Brindille, she needs to uncover the truth about what happened all those years ago. But some will go to great lengths to ensure Sylvie fails, and she soon finds herself tangled in a web of deceit. With the unlikely help of frenemy Georgia Shaw and rising-star student Flora Jackson, Sylvie must find a way to get to The Golden Whisk All-Stars competition and uncover the past before time runs out. Will she be able to redeem her family’s name and save her future, or will it all end in burned butter and broken dreams?

Author Marisa Churchill spent a decade of her career working in some of San Francisco’s most notable restaurants, where she was named “one of the city’s top pastry chefs,” by Michael Bauer (former head food critic of the San Francisco Chronicle). She was a competitor on Top Chef season two, and competed multiple times on Food Network Challenge, where she took first or second place in every challenge. She is the author of two cookbooks Sweet & Skinny and My Sweet & Skinny Life. Her recipes have appeared in numerous culinary publications, from Food & Wine to Epicurious. Her recipes have also been featured in Oprah.com, Women’s Health, and on numerous TV shows: The Talk, Access Hollywood, Hallmark’s Home & Family, and more. Marisa currently writes for Eater and does recipe development for Delish. She’s a member of SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators). When she isn’t cooking, she’s busy whipping up fun new story plots. Secrets, Spells, and Chocolate is her young adult debut. To learn more, visit www.marisachurchill.com or follow her on Instagram @chef_marisachurchill.

Allison Wagner is an Olympic silver medalist and former world record holder. She is now the Director of Athlete and International Relations for USADA. In this role she oversees fair practices in the Olympics and Paralympics. She is also an artist and passionate foodie.

Rodelle has created premier extracts since 1936 and is one of America’s largest brands of high-quality baking ingredients that are sold globally. With operations based in Fort Collins, Rodelle prides itself on a relentless commitment to high quality. Visit www.RodelleKitchen.com for full product lists, recipe ideas and more information.

This event is produced by an outside organization and is unaffiliated with the Downtown Development Authority. The DDA website serves as a marketing outlet for events and promotions occurring inside the Downtown boundary. For questions regarding the event, please contact the event producer.