Here's How Anthony Bourdain's Assistant Saved His Final Book
When the culinary world lost Anthony Bourdain, fans likely assumed that was the end of his creative journey. A celebrated chef beyond belief who championed culinary innovation and exploration, Anthony Bourdain was someone many admired — and still do. Shocking fans across the globe when he died in 2018, Bourdain was more than a chef or tv host, but looked to as an icon. Bourdain made his mark on the food world not only through his brash style of storytelling, but also by captivating viewers with his travels across the globe in shows like "Parts Unknown" and "No Reservations," where he took all who watched along with him for the ride, exposing us to different cultures, daily life in other countries, and (of course) some spectacular cuisine (via CNN).
Years after his death, many thought they would never hear from Bourdain again, but boy, are we glad that turned out to be wrong! Gracing the world once more with his bold voice as a celebrated writer and powerful storyteller, Bourdain's final book, "World Travel: An Irreverent Guide," has finally been completed — and Eater explains that it's all thanks to his miraculous assistant, Laurie Woolever.
Bourdain's last gift to the food world
One can imagine being Anthony Bourdain's assistant for over a decade might not have been the easiest task, but if that job wasn't enormous enough, Woolever felt compelled to bring Bourdain's final book to life, despite not being able to ask for new additions or feedback from Bourdain (via Eater). Woolever set the travel book — or guide — to cover 43 countries, spotlighting helpful information on where to stay and the best ways to get around. Instead of focusing so much on the "travel" part of the travel guide, however, Woolever focused more on Bourdain's relationship to each location, cleverly pulling information from the late chef's TV shows and writing, plus essays from his friends and colleagues and input from his brother, Christopher.
"I'm very excited to finally have the book out in the world," Woolever told Eater. "I'm very proud of it. I think that it's going to appeal to a lot of different types of readers. Of course it's also incredibly sad and bittersweet to be publishing this book without my co-author." After nearly four years in production, Woolever has finally completed "World Travel: An Irreverent Guide," filled with enthralling stories that are sure to transport any reader to some of Bourdain's favorite locations.
If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).