Celebrity chef Anne Burrell dies at 55

We received the sad news that Anne Burrell, popular Food Network host and chef, passed away today at her New York home. Burrell was the long time host of Worst Cooks in America, which ran on Food Network from 2010 to the present. Known for her spiky platinum-blond hairdo, Burrell coached teams through hundreds of episodes of the program.

Born on September 21, 1969, in Cazenovia, New York, Burrell earned an English and communications degree from Canisius University. However, she did not enjoy her job as a headhunter and pursued her love of cooking at the Culinary Institute of America, graduating in 1996. She worked at various upscale restaurants in New York before appearing on Iron Chef America in 2005 as a sous chef for Mario Batali, a role she repeated during his tenure on the show.

By 2007, Burrell was hosting her own Food Network show, “Secrets of a Restaurant Chef,” and other roles soon followed. In a statement, 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.” In addition to appearing on various Food Network programs, Burrell wrote two cookbooks, Cook Like a Rock Star and Own Your Kitchen: Recipes to Inspire and Empower. Burrell is survived by her husband, Stuart Claxton.