From Sideline Reporter to Vegetable Evangelist: Tanya Sichynsky on Cooking, Confidence, and the Joy of Shrimpmas

Tanya Sichynsky is not a vegetarian. She writes the New York Times' veggie newsletter, hosts a video series called The Veggie, and just published a cookbook called Veg-Everything—but she eats meat. "I think my own dietary preferences are a strength, not a weakness," she says. The majority of her readers are omnivores who want to cook more plant-based meals but lack the recipes, skills, or comfort to do so. She sees herself as a translator for that audience: "I'm not a scientist. I'm just a woman with a lot of recipes and a laptop and your email address."

The Accidental Path to Food Media

Sichynsky's career trajectory is a masterclass in following curiosity without a master plan. She studied broadcast journalism at the University of Georgia, intending to become a sideline reporter for the Atlanta Falcons. Her first job out of college was running social media for USA Today Sports—"very nascent days of having a social media editor," she recalls—before moving to the Washington Post to work in audience strategy across desks.