Anne Burrell, host of 'Worst Cooks in America,' passes away at 55
American chef Anne Burrell, who is known as a longtime host of Worst Cooks in America, has passed away at the age of 55.
Burrell took her last breath on the morning of June 17 at her home in Brooklyn, New York.
"Anne was a beloved wife, sister, daughter, stepmother, and friend—her smile lit up every room she entered," her family said in a statement. "Anne’s light radiated far beyond those she knew, touching millions across the world. Though she is no longer with us, her warmth, spirit, and boundless love remain eternal."
Burrell is survived by Stuart Claxton, her husband of three years, her stepson Javier, her mother Marlene, her sister Jane, her children Isabella, Amelia, and Nicolas, and her brother Ben.
While the cause of her death is still not known, a report from People detailed that she was found "unconscious and unresponsive" at the scene of her death.
An autopsy of her body is now pending.
A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Burrell kickstarted her career in the food industry when she began working in various restaurants in Italy for nine months.
Her career progressed steadily until she captured the attention of celebrity chef Mario Batali, who made her one of his sous chefs for a pilot taping of Food Network's Iron Chef America series in 2005. She continued to serve as his sous chef during his tenure with the show.
In 2008, she got her own Food Network show titled Secrets of a Restaurant Chef, where she demonstrated how to cook restaurant-quality meals at home. She also joined the series The Best Thing I Ever Ate the following year.
Burrell's most notable work, however, is co-hosting the reality television series Worst Cooks in America since 2010. In it, contestants with little to no cooking experience undergo a tough culinary boot camp where they are taught essential cooking skills, such as knife techniques, baking, seasoning, temperature control, and meal prep. Burrell has been a consistent mentor for 27 seasons during the show's run.
Aside from being a television chef, she has also written two cookbooks, namely, Cook Like a Rock Star in 2011 and Own Your Kitchen: Recipes to Inspire and Empower in 2013.
