Anne Burrell will be missed in the culinary world and on TV screens.
The Worst Cooks in America host and Food Network personality was best known for her trademark platinum blonde hair and memorable quotes like “brown food tastes good!” Off-camera, she found a lasting love with husband Stuart Claxton, whom she met on Bumble in 2018 and married in 2021.
On June 17, Burrell died in her Brooklyn, New York, home at age 55, reps for the star announced in a release obtained by PEOPLE.
Ahead, remember Burrell’s successful career as a chef and her life in photos.
Anne Burrell’s Childhood and Early Career
Anne Burrell in 2008.
BILLY FARRELL/Patrick McMullan via Getty
Anne Burrell was born on Sept. 21, 1969, in Cazenovia, New York. After graduating from Canisius College with a B.A. in English and communications, she enrolled in the Culinary Institute of America and also studied in Italy.
Following a brief professional stint in Italy, she returned to New York to work under celebrity chef Lidia Bastianich.
‘Secrets of a Restaurant Chef’
Anne Burrell on ‘Secrets of a Restaurant Chef’.
Warner Brothers
Her first Food Network series Secrets of a Restaurant Chef debuted on the network in June 2008. The show saw Burrell reveal techniques frequently used by professional chefs through preparing restaurant-quality dishes at home. Secrets of a Restaurant Chef, which earned a Daytime Emmy nomination in 2011, ran for nine seasons, ending in April 2012.
“I try to take the fear factor out and let people know that it doesn’t have to be this awesome, daunting experience,” she told Canisius College Magazine in 2008.
‘Worst Cooks in America’
Anne Burrell on ‘Worst Cooks in America’.
Warner Brothers
In 2010, Burrell and chef Beau MacMillan launched their hit cooking competition show Worst Cooks in America on Food Network. She served as the host for 27 of the series’ 28 seasons, in which contestants with poor cooking skills underwent a culinary boot camp to improve and win a cash prize. Celebrity editions of the show featured competitors such as Jaleel White, Jodie Sweetin, Jenni “JWoww” Farley and more.
Anne Burrell as a Stepmom
Stuart Claxton, Anne Burrell and Javier Claxton.
Anne Burrell/Instagram
Through her marriage to Claxton, Burrell also became a stepmother to his son Javier, born in 2005. She occasionally shared photos of the family’s celebrations and travels on Instagram, from holidays to their trips to Walt Disney World and the Cricket World Cup.
“Just SOOOOOOO much to be thankful for this year!!! A new home, a wedding, a stepson, great family, great friends, good health, great fans and just so much more!!!” she wrote on Instagram in November 2021 for Thanksgiving.
Anne Burrell Dies
Anne Burrell.
Stephanie Augello/Variety/Getty
Burrell died in the morning of June 17 at her home in Brooklyn, New York. She was 55. According to a 911 call report provided to PEOPLE by the New York City Fire Department, authorities responded to a call about a reported cardiac arrest at Burrell’s house. She was unconscious and unresponsive when they arrived and declared dead on the scene, police told PEOPLE.
“Anne was a beloved wife, sister, daughter, stepmother, and friend — her smile lit up every room she entered,” said her family 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.”
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