555: Batali, Bourdain, Booze, and One Incredible Memoir with Laurie Woolever

This Is TASTE

Laurie Woolever is a longtime journalist and has written a memoir for the ages. Care and Feeding covers her time working as a dutiful assistant for both Mario Batali and Anthony Bourdain (let that sink in for a moment), and how her life was entangled in and around the Most Important People in Food for over two decades. It’s a wild ride, and Laurie covers her ups and downs with a strong voice and biting wit. In this episode, we hear all about her work, from booking flights to writing magazine features, and how her addiction to drugs and alcohol nearly brought it all down. This is a modern recovery story and a must-read for anybody interested in her megawatt former bosses. I so loved catching up with Laurie.

Also on the episode, I’m joined by Rebecca Flint Marx. Rebecca is Eater’s home editor and leads the publication’s cookbook coverage. She just published a massive spring preview, and we go over so many wonderful books being published this season.

You can find information about 12-step programs in your area online. For additional recovery reading visit the excellent The Small Bow.

READ MORE:

• Cook the Whole Damn Heart [TASTE]
• The Untold Story of the Lady From Louisville and the Bubbe Who Wasn’t There [TASTE]

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