British TV chef Nigella Lawson has taken refuge at the Chateau Marmont hotel in Los Angeles — and is crying on the shoulder of “The Taste” co-star Anthony Bourdain — following her split with art collector husband Charles Saatchi.
Lawson and Saatchi divorced in July after Saatchi, the co-founder of the powerhouse ad agency Saatchi & Saatchi, was caught on camera choking Lawson at a London restaurant.
Since then, we hear Lawson has moved into the Chateau Marmont while she’s filming the second season of the ABC food-competition show, “The Taste.” A source told us, “She has been keeping herself very low-key.”
We also hear the voluptuous TV chef has been getting emotional support from the star of CNN’s “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown.”
“Anthony has really taken her under his wing and is looking after her,” our source continued.
We’re told friendship is strictly platonic — Bourdain is married to Ottavia Bourdain, a mixed martial arts fighter. The couple have a daughter, Ariane, 6.
On Friday, Lawson was spotted having lunch with a friend in Los Angeles as she took a break from filming. A rep for Lawson told us: “We wouldn’t comment on location details or speculation.” A rep for Bourdain didn’t get back to us.
Lawson and Saatchi had been married for 10 years before the couple in June were caught on camera in an altercation at London restaurant Scott’s.
Shortly afterward, Saatchi turned himself into the police and admitted choking her, but denied having a tight grip on her neck.
Saatchi later filed for divorce and said in a statement, “I feel that I have clearly been a disappointment to Nigella during the last year or so, and I am disappointed that she was advised to make no public comment to explain that I abhor violence of any kind against women, and have never abused her physically in any way.”