By Carly Smith
Content warnings: emotional abuse
Salt and Sour offers a candid glimpse into the life of chef Yoda Olinyk leading up to, during, and after the existence of her restaurant. Once a popular dining spot for London, ON locals and visitors, The Restaurant, as she refers to it in her book, left diners mesmerized, friends and acquaintances hopeful, and strangers intrigued. The sudden closure of her unique establishment was unexpected, and Salt and Sour chronicles the events in Olinyk’s life that played a part in its shutdown.
Olinyk touches on romantic relationships, friendships, and her connection with herself. She details moments of pure bliss, of soul-crushing heartache, and her deepest, most private memories. She blends anecdotes about chef life with stories from her personal life in a way that keeps readers interested equally in both her professional and private lives. As a finishing touch, like a cherry on top of whipped cream, she also includes recipes at the end of many of her chapters, each as meaningful as the previous.
Olinyk is wise, ambitious, considerate, and well-rounded. She is not short on life experiences, all of which have helped shape her to be such an outstanding person; substance use, parent separation, and a tumultuous romantic relationship are just a few hardships she endured that have contributed to her magnetic personality. She recounts these events, as well as others, without restraint. Her honesty and straightforwardness are irresistible.
Readers are exposed to several themes in her memoir, including emotional abuse and self-love. I devoured this book like I did everything I ever ate at The Restaurant—too hastily, regretting not having savoured it more slowly to appreciate each element on its own and as part of a whole. Olinyk writes like she cooks: with every ounce of her heart and soul, unapologetically, and fearlessly. At the end of the book, I was left astonished, craving more, and somehow also settled. I anxiously await her next book.