The author will discuss her memoir, a raw, unflinching narrative of how one smart, driven woman went from building a dream to being ensnared in a cult of one. It’s a wild ride through delusion and deceit, a cautionary tale of idealism weaponized, and a tribute to the dog who helped bring her back to herself.

Sarma had a thriving restaurant, a beloved brand, and a mission: to change the way people eat. From the outside, her life appeared charmed-celebrity patrons, glowing press, and a business on the brink of expansion-until she met the man who would dismantle it all and ultimately land her in jail. The enigmatic “Mr. Fox” barreled into her life with promises of unlimited funding, boundless empowerment, even immortality. What he delivered instead was fear, coercive control, and catastrophic financial ruin..

“The Girl with the Duck Tattoo” is a raw, unflinching memoir of how one smart, driven woman went from building a dream to being ensnared in a cult of one. It’s a wild ride through delusion and deceit, a cautionary tale of idealism weaponized, and a tribute to the dog who helped bring her back to herself.

Sarma Melngailis is the founder of One Lucky Duck and co-creator of the acclaimed New York City restaurant Pure Food and Wine. Her notorious story of scandal and betrayal was the subject of the Netflix docuseries “Bad Vegan”. She is the author of “Living Raw Food” and co-author of “Raw Food/Real World” and is currently in production on a new docuseries while working to re-launch her businesses. A graduate of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and the French Culinary Institute, she lives in New York City.