Food, Travel, GenX Memoirs in Brooklyn, NYC with Bourdain’s First Lieutenant | Travel Like a Woman

We’ve all heard the tales of a young woman—an artist, a singer, a writer, an aspiring chef-arriving in New York City with big dreams. Perhaps you thought about moving to New York when you were younger. Maybe you had friends who did it.

Laurie Woolever did it. She arrived in 1996, the New York food scene was her path to her writing career, and she’s been here ever since. She joined me in Brooklyn for dinner at Saint Julivert Fisherie, helmed by Michelin-star Chef Alex Raij. Laurie’s had a remarkable career as a personal cook, writer, editor and book author. Perhaps best known for her time working as an assistant to two of the world’s most well-known names in food—Mario Batali, then the late Anthony Bourdain—she also has a knack for New York Times bestsellers: two with Bourdain, one about Bourdain, and her own memoir, Care and Feeding. She also co-hosts a hilarious food-focused podcast called Carbface.

A memoir spoiler: Laurie is now sober, which has changed both how she explores the food scene as well as how she travels. Like so many of us, she now keeps an eye on her own wellness priorities—which has also revealed new joys when traveling.

Chef Alex literally returned the day before our dinner from a family trip to Japan. Joining us at the table, our conversation soon turned to travel stories—some shared from Laurie’s memoir, and some from our own trips. I love it when GenXers talk about what we love and don’t when we travel.

Ed. Note: Following our dinner, Laurie was kind enough to pass along a banger testimonial of her experience with The WTAF Show--and agreed we can share it with our audience:

“I don't want to take travel advice from smug Hollywood royalty or a teenager who misuses the word ‘aesthetic.’ I want to take travel advice from a woman like Kelly Groehler, who cuts through the noise to get to the good stuff: food, art, conversations and more.”

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Laurie Woolever: https://lauriewoolever.com/

Visit Saint Julivert, Brooklyn, NY: https://www.saintjulivertbk.com/

Executive producer, creator and host: Kelly Groehler

Written by: Kelly Groehler

Director of photography: Matt Waitley - Colourbus Media

Cameras: Matt Waitley

Editor: Matt Waitley, Colton Stark

Director: Kelly Groehler

Social Editor: Joey Hagerman

Marketing Advisory: Alison Tozzi Liu

Series Creator: Kelly Groehler

Filmed on location in New York, New York, USA

Special thanks:

Ashley Longshore Studio

Athletech News

By the Way/The Washington Post

Delta Air Lines

Global Wellness Institute

Jacqueline Greaves Monda

Marilu Monda

The Musket Room

Saint Julivert Fisherie

Uber

WITT (Wellness in Travel & Tourism) Certification

Laurie Woolever

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#michelinstar #culinary #privatechef #sobriety #recovery #carbface #podcast #cookbook