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Laurie Woolever, Anthony Bourdain’s Longtime Assistant, Shares Intimate Insights in Upcoming Memoir
Laurie Woolever, who served as Anthony Bourdain’s assistant for nearly a decade until his tragic passing in 2018, offers an intimate look at their relationship in her upcoming memoir, Care and Feeding, set to release on March 11.
Woolever didn’t just assist the world-renowned travel chef; she co-authored his books, worked as his researcher, and, as Bourdain himself joked, acted as his “Luca Brasi” from The Godfather. Their close working relationship evolved into a deep friendship, one that continues to influence her life even after his death.
Woolever reveals that she often dreams of Bourdain’s return, imagining scenarios where he orchestrated his disappearance as part of a grand ruse. “For years, I had these dreams where he was coming back, and it turned out it was all a big scheme where he decided to disappear for a while,” she shared with People. “And I would be the one to help him reintegrate into life.”
She admits to keeping a “running list” of things she wishes she could tell him, such as the pandemic, global politics, and TV shows she thinks he’d enjoy. “Wouldn’t it be great if the dream were real? I’d say, ‘Dude, there was a pandemic in 2020. You wouldn’t believe what’s happening in global politics. And there’s this show Succession I think you’d love!’”
The Final Days of Anthony Bourdain
Woolever’s memoir is based on years of journaling, emails, and text messages, including her final exchange with Bourdain in June 2018. At the time, Bourdain was in Alsace, France, filming an episode of Parts Unknown. Around the same week, paparazzi photos surfaced showing his girlfriend, actress and director Asia Argento, allegedly involved with another man.
“We talked about it, and then about very normal things, like planning a doctor’s appointment,” Woolever recalls. “It’s hard to accept that he truly believed he’d return to New York, and then he didn’t.”
Media Fallout and the Asia Argento Romance
Bourdain and Argento’s relationship became public in May 2017, but behind the scenes, Woolever was already handling the media fallout. She recalls how, after an Italian tabloid published photos of the couple in Rome, Bourdain instructed her to confirm the relationship to the New York Post without leaving traces of their involvement.
“Confirm with the reporter that it’s true, nothing more, and don’t leave any fingerprints that this info came from our camp,” he told her. Woolever admits that successfully executing this task was the “highlight of my week.”
A Failed Romantic Gesture and Heartbreak
As their relationship deepened, Woolever witnessed Bourdain’s devotion to Argento firsthand. He once sent her a carefully curated gift—a large box of vinyl records selected from shops in New York. However, the gesture didn’t go as planned.
When the package arrived in Italy, unexpected import duties and customs paperwork turned the romantic surprise into an inconvenience. Argento, frustrated, sent it back.
In June 2018, their relationship faced intense public scrutiny after paparazzi photos showed Argento kissing a French journalist. When National Enquirer reached out for comment, Bourdain instructed Woolever to ignore the inquiry but to notify him when the article was published.
The Heartbreaking Final Days
Despite the emotional turmoil, Bourdain remained forward-looking. He asked Woolever to schedule a lunch, a haircut, a doctor’s appointment, and a private jiu-jitsu session for his return to New York. That night, he sent her a simple text: “Hope you’re doing well.”
Her response: “We will live and survive.”
Woolever assumed the “we” referred to Bourdain and Argento, hoping they’d push through the challenges. However, at 4:25 a.m., her phone buzzed with a call from Kim, Bourdain’s agent, who delivered the devastating news: “Tony took his life.”
Bourdain’s sudden death came during a personal crisis for Woolever, as she and her husband had decided to separate just three weeks prior after discovering his affair. “It was a one-two punch,” she said.
An Honest Portrait of Anthony Bourdain
In Care and Feeding, Woolever offers an unfiltered glimpse of the man she simply called Tony—his brilliance, his struggles, and the final moments of his life that left an indelible mark on the world. The memoir serves as a heartfelt tribute to her friend and mentor, capturing the complexity of their bond and the legacy Bourdain left behind.
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