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A Culinary Icon Remembered
Anne Anne Burrell became a household name as the host of Worst Cooks in America, thanks to her spiky golden hair and love of Food Network’s signature spike in the makeup budget. Born September 21, 1969, in Cazenovia, New York, she started cooking in her childhood and was inspired by her mother and TV chefs. Her first two years of study were in English and Communication at Canisius College (Class of 1991), with the subsequent years spent at the Culinary Institute of America (Class of 1996).
Burrell was to later attend the Italian Culinary Institute for Foreigners, where she reinforced her interest in Italian cooking with apprenticeships and work. Returning to the U.S., she cut her teeth under the chef Lidia Bastianich at Felidia Ristorante, and later ran the kitchen at the Mediterranean-inspired SoHo haunt Savoy. Before making her way to television, she was an instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education.
Television Career and Legacy
Burrell made her first television appearance on the July 7, 2005, episode of Iron Chef America as Mario Batali's sous chef. She went on to host Secrets of a Restaurant Chef for nine seasons from 2008 to 2012, receiving two Emmy nominations. In the time since she has also appeared in a number of other Food Network programs, Chopped, Chef Wanted and Food Network Star among them.
She is best known as the co-host of Worst Cooks in America for 27 seasons (2010–2024). She competed in her final TV appearance in 2024 when she appeared on House of Knives in March. Burrell was also a successful author, having published Cook Like a Rock Star in 2011 and Own Your Kitchen: Recipes to Inspire and Empower in 2013.
Community Impact & Personal Life
Beyond the kitchen, Burrell was also known for her philanthropy. She was on the advisory board for the Garden of Dreams Foundation and also served as a celebrity ambassador for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. She also served on the board of City Harvest’s Food Council.
Her family described her as a loving wife, sister, and daughter, and as a stepmother and friend. Possessing a bright spirit, Anne will always be remembered by millions. “Sharing her passion for food with the world was her treat,” she would often say of herself.
Personal life Burrell married Stuart Claxton on October 16, 2021. In addition to him, she is survived by his son Javier, her mother, Marlene, and her sister, Jane.
