Anne Burrell, a chef and television personality known for her kinetic swoop of blond hair and an energy to match, died on Tuesday in Brooklyn. She was 55.
“Anne was a beloved wife, sister, daughter, stepmother and friend,” her family said in a statement, which did not mention a cause of death.
“Her smile lit up every room she entered. 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.”
Ms. Burrell spent years working in Italian restaurants in Manhattan, including Savoy Restaurant and Felidia Ristorante, before ascending to household fame on the Food Network. She began as a sous-chef on “Iron Chef America” to the chef Mario Batali, but her distinctive swagger made her stand apart from even the effusive Mr. Batali, prompting the network to offer her a show of her own. That show, “Secrets of a Restaurant Chef,” premiered in 2008 and ran for nine seasons.
Ms. Burrell remained a staple of the Food Network, hosting the hit show “Worst Cooks in America” and appearing regularly on network favorites like “Chopped” and “Food Network Star.”
In a statement, a spokeswoman for the Food Network said, “Anne was a remarkable person and culinary talent — teaching, competing and always sharing the importance of food in her life and the joy that a delicious meal can bring.”
Ms. Burrell was born in Cazenovia, N.Y., and followed a love for Julia Child all the way to Italy, where she attended the Italian Culinary Institute for Foreigners. When she returned to the United States in 1998, she was hired to work at Felidia Ristorante, where she met the famed chef Lidia Bastianich.
Claudette Zepeda, who competed alongside Ms. Burrell on the Food Network show “House of Knives” in 2025, said the chef had her fair share of “phoenix moments” in which she had to rise from dark times, including stepping out from underneath the shadow of Mr. Batali, who in 2017 was accused of sexually harassing women who worked for him. (Two years later, a New York police official said the department had closed three investigations into sexual assault allegations against Mr. Batali because detectives could not find enough evidence to make an arrest.)
“Coming out as her own human being and her own autonomous competitor was a huge moment for her,” said Ms. Zepeda. “Everyone just put those two together and assumed there was complacency. Having to come out of that world and forge her own path as her own person — as Anne Burrell — wasn’t easy for her.”
But Ms. Burrell had an intensity that made her a force to be reckoned with both on and off television.
“She was the most competitive person ever,” said the chef and television personality Scott Conant, who was her co-star on “Worst Cooks in America.” “I beat her on ‘Worst Cooks’ once for a special. My team beat her team. She didn’t talk to me for three months after that, she was so angry.”
That relentless spirit won her admiration from the young cooks who competed on her shows, Mr. Conant added. “She was unapologetic and defined herself and told her story through food.”
Ms. Burrell is survived by her husband, Stuart Claxton, a marketing executive whom she married in 2021; her mother, Marlene Burrell; her younger sister, Jane Burrell-Uzcategui; and her stepson, Javier Claxton.
Ms. Burrell brought her perfectionism to two best-selling cookbooks, “Cook Like a Rock Star: 125 Recipes, Lessons, and Culinary Secrets” and “Own Your Kitchen: Recipes to Inspire & Empower.”
Suzanne Lenzer, a food stylist, cookbook author and Ms. Burrell’s collaborator on both cookbooks said, “She had a strong voice.” And strong opinions.
“She hated pepper,” Ms. Lenzer recalled. “She said it was a spice like horseradish. Why would you put pepper on everything?”
She made an exception for pasta carbonara. “She didn’t even like it in carbonara,” Ms. Lenzer added, “but knew it had to be in there because it’s traditional.”
Priya Krishna is a reporter in the Food section of The Times.
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