Laurie Woolever didn't step foot on a plane until she was more than halfway through college—but fast forward a decade and she was sitting in business class heading to Vietnam, Sri Lanka, alongside Anthony Bourdain. Bourdain's assistant, cookbook co-author, and frequent collaborator for more than 10 years, Laurie got to know the travel quirks, habits, and needs of one of the most beloved figures in travel—and learned how to make the most of every trip along the way. Now, with her latest book—Bourdain: The Definitive Oral Biography, out this week in bookstores—she's sharing memories of the icon from more than 90 friends, family members, and collaborators. In the latest episode of the podcast, we sat down with Laurie to find out how she got into food writing, what traveling with Bourdain taught her, and why she prefers to travel by scooter.

Read a full transcription of the episode here: https://www.cntraveler.com/story/laurie-woolever-women-who-travel-podcast

Follow Laurie: @LaurieWoolever

Follow Meredith: @ohheytheremere

Follow Lale: @lalehannah

Follow Women Who Travel: @womenwhotravel

All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Laurie Woolever on Life as Anthony Bourdain’s Assistant—And Finding Her Groove as a Traveler