Description

A New York Times Bestseller!

Humorous, honest, and sometimes heartbreaking, this memoir chronicles one woman’s journey through the complexities of the culinary world, grappling with addiction, personal growth, a cultural shift, and heartbreaking tragedy along the way.

In this insightful and deeply funny memoir, Laurie Woolever charts her path—from a modest small-town upbringing into the exhilarating yet intense atmosphere of top restaurants and esteemed food publications. Throughout her career, Laurie’s experiences have been shaped, both positively and negatively, by her close association with two industry titans: Mario Batali and Anthony Bourdain. Yet, her story goes beyond these well-known mentors whose careers dominate headlines.

Behind all the glamour, Laurie’s personal life often descends into chaos, marked by enticing yet ill-advised choices and situations she sometimes struggles to leave behind. With biting wit and sharp self-awareness, Laurie contends with the intricate challenge of defining herself as a woman in an industry that veers from alluring to toxic. Her journey takes her everywhere—from a grungy Atlantic City strip club and Tokyo’s luxurious Park Hyatt hotel, to a vegetarian cooperative run by hippies and the revered kitchens of the legendary restaurant El Bulli. All the while, she tries to balance a demanding professional life with sometimes uncertain feelings about marriage and motherhood.

Ultimately, as the restaurant world faces a necessary cultural awakening—and Laurie’s own mentors endure highly publicized falls from grace—she searches for clarity about her place in the world, striving to protect the parts of her work that truly matter to her: nourishment, compassion, and the joy of feeding others.