Anthony Bourdain’s Eerie Final Texts To His Assistant Exposed

Laurie Woolever, who served as Anthony Bourdain’s assistant for nearly a decade until his tragic passing in 2018, is offering an intimate look at their relationship in her upcoming memoir, “Care and Feeding,” set to release on March 11.

Woolever wasn’t just managing the schedule of the world’s most famous traveling chef; she co-wrote his books, acted as his publicist, and, as Anthony Bourdain himself joked, was his “Luca Brasi” from “The Godfather.”

Their close working relationship naturally evolved into a deep friendship that still lingers in her dreams.

“For years, I have had these dreams where he comes back, and it turns out that it was just a big ruse where he decided to disappear for a while,” she shared, per PEOPLE. “And I’m in the position of helping him get reacclimated into life.”

Woolever admits she keeps a “running list” of things she wishes she could tell him.

“Wouldn’t it be great if that dream was real? And I got to be the one to say, ‘Dude, there was a pandemic in 2020.’ And ‘You would not believe what’s happening with global politics right now. There’s this show ‘Succession’ that I think you would love , and The Bear!’”

Throughout her time working with Bourdain, Woolever maintained an “active journal practice,” which became a foundation for her memoir. She also had years of emails and text messages with him, all the way up until their final exchange in June 2018.

At the time, Bourdain was in Alsace, France, filming an episode of “Parts Unknown.” That same week, paparazzi photos surfaced showing his girlfriend, actress and director Asia Argento, allegedly involved with another man.

“We talked about that and then also about very normal things like, ‘Let’s schedule this doctor’s appointment,’” Woolever recalls. “It’s hard to reconcile that he believed he would be back in New York, and then he wasn’t.”

Bourdain and Argento went public with their relationship in May 2017, but behind the scenes, Woolever was already managing the media fallout. She recalls how, shortly after an Italian tabloid published photos of the couple together in Rome, Bourdain called her with instructions to handle an inquiry from The New York Post.

“Verbally confirm with the reporter that it’s true, nothing more, and don’t leave any fingerprints that this info came from our camp,” he told her. The successful execution of this task, she admits, was the “highlight of my week.”

As their relationship intensified, Woolever saw firsthand how devoted Bourdain was to Argento, often sending her carefully curated gifts, including a large box of vinyl records selected from record stores around New York. But the gesture didn’t land as he had hoped.

When the package arrived in Italy, unexpected import duties and customs paperwork turned it into an inconvenience rather than a romantic surprise. Argento, irritated by the hassle, sent it back.

By June 2018, their relationship was facing intense public scrutiny. Woolever recounts receiving a Google alert about paparazzi photos of Argento kissing a French journalist. Soon after, The National Enquirer reached out for comment.

When she asked Bourdain how he wanted to respond, he was clear, “Ignore it, and ignore any similar queries from other pubs. But let me know when the Enquirer piece drops.”

Despite the emotional strain, Bourdain was still making plans. He asked Woolever to schedule a lunch, a haircut, a doctor’s appointment, and a private jiu-jitsu session for when he returned to New York. That night, she sent him a simple text: “I hope you’re doing OK.”

His reply was, “I’ll live, and we’ll survive.”

Woolever assumed “we” referred to him and Argento, that despite the turmoil, they would push through.

Then, at 4:25 a.m. the next morning, her phone buzzed. It was Kim, Bourdain’s agent.

“Tony has taken his life,” she told Woolever.

His sudden death came at a moment of personal upheaval for Woolever as well, as just three weeks earlier, she and her husband had decided to separate after he discovered she was having an affair. “A one-two punch,” she said.

Through “Care and Feeding,” Woolever offers an unfiltered look at the man she simply called Tony: his brilliance, his struggles, and the final moments of a life that left an indelible mark on the world.