Bourdain: The Definitive Oral Biography

An unprecedented behind-the-scenes view into the life of legendary celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain from the people who knew him best

When Anthony Bourdain died in June 2018, fans around the globe came together to celebrate the life of an inimitable man who, as a beloved travel icon, had dedicated his life to traveling nearly everywhere (and eating nearly everything), shedding light on the lives and stories of others. His impact was outsized and his legacy has only grown since his death.

Now, for the first time, we have been granted a look into Bourdain’s life through the stories and recollections of his closest friends and colleagues. Laurie Woolever, Bourdain’s longtime assistant and confidante, interviewed nearly a hundred of the people who shared Tony’s orbit—from members of his kitchen crews to his writing, publishing, and television partners, to his daughter and his closest friends—in this definitive oral biography, piecing together a remarkably full, vivid, and nuanced vision of Tony’s life and work.

From his childhood and teenage days, to his early years in New York, through the genesis of his game-changing memoir Kitchen Confidential to his emergence as a writing and television personality, and in the words of friends and colleagues including Eric Ripert, José Andrés, Nigella Lawson, and W. Kamau Bell, as well as family members including his brother and his late mother, we see the many sides of Tony—his motivations, his ambivalence, his vulnerability, his blind spots, and his brilliance.

Unparalleled in scope and deeply intimate in its execution, with a treasure trove of photos from Tony's life, Bourdain: The Definitive Oral Biography is a moving tribute and a testament to the life of a remarkable man in the words of the people who shared his world.

This landmark oral biography paints the full picture of a complex life:

• Behind the Fame: Go beyond the public persona with recollections from nearly a hundred of the people who knew him best—from his kitchen crews to television partners like Eric Ripert and José Andrés.
• A Chef’s Life: Trace Tony’s journey from his early years in New York and the genesis of his game-changing memoir Kitchen Confidential to his emergence as a global television personality.
• Candid and Unflinching: In the words of those closest to him, see the many sides of Tony—his motivations, his ambivalence, his vulnerability, and his brilliance.
• An Intimate Portrait: Assembled by his longtime assistant and confidante, Laurie Woolever, this biography offers an unparalleled and deeply personal look at the man behind the myth, complete with a treasure trove of personal photos.