The premise of this story was interesting enough, however, the awkward flow and the tiringly slow speed of parts of the novel were enough to put me off from it in it's entirety. Taylor is an incredible story teller in his own right, though. The Paris backstory for Teo, the history of his mother and father, Frankie..it came together but at a cost to losing interest in some areas of the storyline. The reader is offered a look through the kitchen doors to see the toxicity and volatile environment these restaurant kitchens foster, it's both breathtaking and heart-stopping.

Recommended for foodie readers, those who like long tastes of culinary literature, but would be wasted on readers who simply like food and war stories from a Chili's kitchen.

“The prisoner wants to be free, and so he roams,” Isibéal said finally. “The refugee wants a home, and so she seeks and seeks.”

Freedom, fleeing and finding are just a few of the nuances that characterize The Rise and Fall of Magic Wolf, both the novel and the fictional partnership.

Teo decides to launch his culinary career in Paris based on an idealized vision of how his parents met. He is hired at Le Dauphin on the word of the sous-chef Frankie working for two brother chef patrons who are explosive personalities with inconsistent and dysfunctional oversight of their award-winning kitchen.

As Teo rises through the ranks, he craves the attention and approval of Frankie while falling in love with Frankie’s ex. They are three fellow Canadians honing their crafts in Parisian bistros. As the relationship between Teo and Stephanie flourish, Frankie disappears amid scandalous rumors. When separately, the three return to Canada, Teo reunites with his childhood best friend Magnus, to form Magic Wolf, a parent company for what will be three distinct, popular restaurants.

Teo’s star is rising, but he is caught in the Frankie’s wake. When Frankie resurfaces and become exec chef at one of the restaurants, he brings with him the makings of disaster.

The Rise and Fall of Magic Wolf is the story of friendship, cut-throat competition, loyalty, and finding one’s own way. Teo, while seemingly loyal, contributes more to the rise and fall of the restaurant empire than any of the other players.
Timothy Taylor lifts the curtain to reveal the kitchen. It’s a place of dreams, but also dictatorship and debauchery. It’s drive and passions overflow into the lives of the staff and Taylor expertly brings us into that world.

While at times the story ebbed more than flowed, I appreciated the tie between Teo’s story and his parents’ history and the dropping the floor of both.

“I think it cycles around to the same thing in the end, you know. The nomad wanders until he has no idea at all where he is. Then when he’s finally good and lost, he starts looking for a place to rest as well.”

Thank you to Dundurn Press for the ARC of this book through NetGalley, which I received for my honest review.

I gave this 5 stars because I can't give it a 4.5, and you know... the rules of rounding up and all. It falls 1/2 a star short for me because I would have liked the transition from Teo's current day narrative to the recalling of his father's journey and other stories of the past to be a little more smooth. Although, to be completely fair, it could have just been the format of the eARC.

All of that aside, I truly loved this book. Now, I acknowledge I may be biased due to my admiration of the Culinary Arts, however, this was honestly an enjoyable read. The tempo of the book moved quite gradual, then sudden, in such a satisfying way. So many times Timothy Taylor left me hanging with questions, only to shortly thereafter answer said questions. The way I was so anxious to know what Stephanie's letter to Teo said! And to get to experience the emotional impact once what was written was revealed; so good.

In the first quarter of the book, I was filled with hope and concern for Teo as he navigated the tumult, uncertainty, and stress of the culinary world working at Le Dauphin in Paris. His experiences in the kitchen both encouraging and troublesome, especially having to deal with the chefs patrons. Not to mention, his precarious relationship with Frankie. I continuously felt like something was brewing. Even to the very end, I didn't know how to feel about their relationship. Ultimately, I decided that both Teo and Frankie failed in their relationship, and such is human nature.

As Teo moves onward in his journey, he meets Stephanie, and what a love story! They just were each other's person and everything in their shared life seemingly fell into place. Both of them successful and thriving in their own rights, while simultaneously caring for Teo's ailing father, who Stephanie treated and cared for as if he were her own father. The grace that Stephanie gave Teo, unconditionally and sometimes undeserved was what in my opinion, gave Teo the freedom to contribute to the success of Magic Wolf and also provide a safe and secure landing spot when he came crashing down under scandal. Ultimately, Teo's journey back to Stephanie was also Teo's journey to redemption. It was his journey home, just like that of his parents.

As we know, there have been horrific and devastating things that have happened in male dominated areas all around the world. Taylor did well in showcasing how these issues go from being swept under the rug to downright outed in public forums, and how utterly devastating the impact is, whether the stories are truly valid or not. It raises the issue of persecution of character, before getting to the truth of things, and the consequences of collective actions; to some degree, more people than just the accused have blood on their hands. The demise of Frankie was crushing, from his poor decision making as Executive Chef in the kitchen to the potentially unfounded accusations. I was devastated for Kiyomi and her daughter.

This was an eARC for me, but I will be purchasing a hardcopy.

Really enjoyed the culinary side of this story ,an intimate look at the people the day to day activities the arguments the competition.Timothy Taylor has a wonderful style of writing that drew me in.#netgalley #dundrenbooks

Thank you NetGalley for sending me a copy of this book. I was looking forward to reading this because the premise sounded really interesting. Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to my expectation. The descriptions of the food being prepared and the setting of Paris were my favorite part. It just moved a little too slow for me I guess. Also, my copy didn’t have any page numbers in it or a list of the chapters when I was reading it, which made it a little more confusing to follow along.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.


📚 Timothy Taylor’s “The Rise and Fall of Magic Wolf” is a culinary odyssey that simmers with ambition, secrets, and the fragility of human hearts. Set against the backdrop of Parisian brasseries and Vancouver’s bustling restaurant scene, this novel serves up a feast of emotions.

Teo Wolf, a rising restaurateur, dances on the edge of fame. His culinary empire—built on sweat, sacrifice, and exquisite flavors—faces its greatest test. When a scandal involving his sous-chef Frankie erupts, Teo’s carefully crafted world threatens to crumble. As media storms rage and personal demons emerge, he grapples with the impact of individual choices and collective consequences.

Taylor’s prose is a symphony of flavors. He captures the chaos of kitchen battles, the sizzle of ambition, and the quiet moments when chefs dream. Teo’s journey—from Parisian apprentice to Vancouver sensation—is exhilarating and heartbreaking. The tension builds like a perfectly reduced sauce, leaving readers hungry for more.

For those who savor literary delicacies, “The Rise and Fall of Magic Wolf” is a rare treat. Taylor’s storytelling prowess elevates this novel beyond the ordinary. Bon appétit!

I felt like this book was really worth reading. It's a take on toxic professional kitchens, sexual power dynamics. and the cultural implications of white chefs becoming celebrated for their "takes" on food traditionally cooked by non-white people. I appreciated how Taylor didn't feel like he had to handhold us through the story. When I finished the book, I wanted to immediately flip back to a few scenes to read them again with the knowledge of what happens towards the end of the book. Teo himself was a fascinating character. The pacing wasn't perfect - I felt the Paris portion of the book lasted too long. But I'm impressed because it would have been so easy for the more delicate portions of this story to get messed up -- I'm thinking in particular about the portions of the story when Teo and his sous chef are in Japan and their interactions in the aftermath of that trip. I would absolutely read another book by this author.

One thing I wish that is unrelated to the author -- I feel like the blurb gives away too much of the development of the story. I would have preferred to discover some of these story elements myself instead of knowing them all going into the book.

I'm afraid I found this a rather slow read that couldn't hold my attention well. Those who are chefs or work otherwise in kitchens in more upscale restaurants may find they have some interest in this story of Magic Wolf.

Eunice C., Reviewer/Blogger
July 2024

Disclaimer: This is my honest opinion based on the complimentary review copy sent by Net Galley and the publisher.

I really enjoyed the character development throughout this novel. The culinary element is something unique I have never read about and it certainly added to the overall story! Really enjoyed this.

"Vous connaissez tous cet homme! Francois to some, Frankie to others." He was Frankie Formidable!

It all started in Montparnasse at Le Dauphin, a Parisian bistro where "wet behind the ears" Teo was hired by Frankie as a brasserie apprentice. It was "zero glamour...a wicked exhausting job". Francois Cote (Frankie) from Montreal was the sous-chef running a bistro for chef patrons who occasionally checked on operations. Mentored by Frankie, Teo had risen from apprentice to "the most junior of juniors- a commis."

Teo and Magnus, childhood friends, had lost touch. Magnus, having become a wealthy investor, floated an idea. "So you cook in Paris. You rise through the ranks. You learn from the best...then in a year's time...maybe two...you and me, back in Vancouver...". Magnus thought a restaurant group to be named Magic Wolf would be a sound investment. "Teo wasn't remotely ready to run his own restaurant...no one would be calling me Chef for four, five or even ten years." Teo stayed at Le Dauphin where he was nicknamed Teo Tranquille to Frankie's Formidable!

Frankie was "zealously committed to his cuisine...a whirling thing of crushing strength, blinding speed and micrometre precision...Frankie had touch. He had grace." After closing each night, the staff of many restaurants gathered at Pigalle for laughter, drinks and good times. On Sundays, Frankie's home gatherings featured "exquisite to earthly, farm-gate cuisine." Who were the diners? Chefs, butchers and bakers from all over Paris and its environs.

In Teo's words, "I was an utterly green apprentice in a kitchen...I had in front of me every single lesson in cooking that I would need to learn...speed and precision...in a rigid structure of the brigade...a uniform procedure [with] no variation at all from carrot to carrot...surviving and to be seen surviving by those who understood...including dreaded visits from chef patrons...their abuse aimed at a commis or apprentice...they liked rolling pins." After five years, Teo became chef tournant [an all-station chef]." It was time for Teo to return to Vancouver, time to create his own eatery, a French restaurant to be named Rue Veron, with Magnus as financier. Rue Veron, was publicly acclaimed, achieving excellent commercial success. Following on the coattails of Rue Veron were two other culinary ventures.

A gradual, then a sudden thundering downfall would occur. In the same way a rolling stone is said to gathers no moss, a newspaper Q & A with a poorly, off the cuff response caught the media by a storm. A hint of predatory behavior surfaced as well. The impact on business and questions of one's moral compass would be tested.

A highly recommended literary read of life as a sous-chef, mouth-watering cuisine and the brasserie/bistro life.

Thank you Dundurn Press/ Rare Machines and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.