Dana Taylor

I was going to ask you about working in high pressure environments. You write about the challenges of finding your path while working in various high pressure environments within the culinary world. In broad terms, what did survival mean to you then and what does it mean to you now?

I was going to ask you about working in high pressure environments. You write about the challenges of finding your path while working in various high pressure environments within the culinary world. In broad terms, what did survival mean to you then and what does it mean to you now?

You spent a good deal of your career working with two larger-than-life personalities. It's clear from your book that both Mario Batali and Anthony Bourdain helped propel your writing career. Let's start with the good stuff. Batali's restaurant, Babo, was at one time the most sought-after restaurant in New York City. For you, what was the upside of being there?

You spent a good deal of your career working with two larger-than-life personalities. It's clear from your book that both Mario Batali and Anthony Bourdain helped propel your writing career. Let's start with the good stuff. Batali's restaurant, Babo, was at one time the most sought-after restaurant in New York City. For you, what was the upside of being there?

You also spent years working with Anthony Bourdain. I know you call him Tony, including during his pivot from the show No Reservations to Parts Unknown. His star ascended at that time. Did you feel that yours did as well? How did he help you?

You also spent years working with Anthony Bourdain. I know you call him Tony, including during his pivot from the show No Reservations to Parts Unknown. His star ascended at that time. Did you feel that yours did as well? How did he help you?

Many of the types of experiences you shared regarding working with Mario Batali in the early 2000s seemed destined for a collision with the Me Too movement that took off in 2017. There was a moment when Anthony Bourdain thought you might need to do some personal damage control when Mario Batali was accused of sexual assault. Was there a personal reckoning there or did that feel unfair to you?

Many of the types of experiences you shared regarding working with Mario Batali in the early 2000s seemed destined for a collision with the Me Too movement that took off in 2017. There was a moment when Anthony Bourdain thought you might need to do some personal damage control when Mario Batali was accused of sexual assault. Was there a personal reckoning there or did that feel unfair to you?

You've worked in publishing and professional kitchens, places that historically haven't been welcoming to women. Over the past 20 years or so, have you seen or experienced any meaningful changes?

You've worked in publishing and professional kitchens, places that historically haven't been welcoming to women. Over the past 20 years or so, have you seen or experienced any meaningful changes?

As I mentioned, you've written extensively about Anthony Bourdain. In your new book, you discuss the impact of his life on both your career and personal life, as well as the impact of his death on both of those. What was the biggest lesson you took away from his life? And what was the biggest lesson you took away from losing him?

As I mentioned, you've written extensively about Anthony Bourdain. In your new book, you discuss the impact of his life on both your career and personal life, as well as the impact of his death on both of those. What was the biggest lesson you took away from his life? And what was the biggest lesson you took away from losing him?

Your book is called Care and Feeding, which sounds nurturing, Lori. Now that I've read it, I'd like to have a deeper understanding of why you chose that title. How did you land on that?

Your book is called Care and Feeding, which sounds nurturing, Lori. Now that I've read it, I'd like to have a deeper understanding of why you chose that title. How did you land on that?

And finally, it would be impossible to tell the story of your professional life without discussing your work with Mario Batali and Anthony Bourdain. Does this book close the chapter on that era of your life? What's next for you?

And finally, it would be impossible to tell the story of your professional life without discussing your work with Mario Batali and Anthony Bourdain. Does this book close the chapter on that era of your life? What's next for you?

Lori Willever's new book, Karen Feeding, is available now. Thank you so much for being on The Excerpt, Lori.

Lori Willever's new book, Karen Feeding, is available now. Thank you so much for being on The Excerpt, Lori.

Thanks to our senior producers, Shannon Marie Green and Kaylee Monahan, for their production assistance, our executive producers, Laura Beatty. Let us know what you think of this episode by sending a note to podcasts at usatoday.com. Thanks for listening. I'm Dana Taylor. Taylor Wilson will be back tomorrow morning with another episode of The Excerpt.

Thanks to our senior producers, Shannon Marie Green and Kaylee Monahan, for their production assistance, our executive producers, Laura Beatty. Let us know what you think of this episode by sending a note to podcasts at usatoday.com. Thanks for listening. I'm Dana Taylor. Taylor Wilson will be back tomorrow morning with another episode of The Excerpt.