Food-Network staple Anne Burrell died early Tuesday, June 17, at her Brooklyn home; emergency crews pronounced her dead at the scene, and New York police say the cause is still under investigation.
She was 55. In a statement released through her representatives, Burrell’s family called her “a beloved wife, sister, daughter, stepmother and friend—her smile lit up every room she entered”. A Food Network spokesperson praised her as “a remarkable person and culinary talent… always sharing the joy that a delicious meal can bring” and offered condolences to “family, friends and fans during this time of tremendous loss”.
Burrell, born in Cazenovia, N.Y., on Sept. 21 1969, graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 1996 and later trained in Italy before returning to New York kitchens such as Lidia Bastianich’s Felidia and Savoy. Television viewers first met her in 2005 as Mario Batali’s sous-chef on Iron Chef America, a turn that led to her own Emmy-nominated series Secrets of a Restaurant Chef three years later.
She became a household name in 2010 when she launched Worst Cooks in America, mentoring contestants through 27 seasons until 2024. Her unexplained absence from this year’s celebrity-edition Season 28 drew a flurry of questions she answered only with “Honestly, I don’t know” on Instagram in January.
Burrell’s most recent on-air appearance came in March on competition series House of Knives, filmed before her death and billed by the network as a showcase for “top-tier chefs in the ultimate culinary arena”.
Colleagues including Alex Guarnaschelli and Jeff Mauro shared social-media tributes, with Guarnaschelli calling her “pure kitchen joy” in an Instagram story that drew thousands of mourning emoji reactions. Fans likewise flooded the comment section of Burrell’s final post—a selfie with Brooklyn’s “Green Lady” taken five days ago—to thank her for “teaching us to cook without fear”.
Law-enforcement officials say an autopsy has been scheduled, and while no foul play is suspected, results could take several weeks. Meanwhile, Food Network is expected to air a primetime tribute special and will dedicate the upcoming season of Worst Cooks to its longtime host.