Beloved Food Network star Anne Burrell passed away on June 17, 2025, at her home in Brooklyn, New York. She was 55 years old. The news was confirmed by her family, who described Burrell as a “beloved wife, sister, daughter, stepmother, and friend” whose ” smile lit up every room she entered”.
Recognized for her trademark platinum spiked hair and high-energy style, Burrell rose to fame as a sous-chef on Iron Chef America in 2005. She later hosted Secrets of a Restaurant Chef, the long-running Worst Cooks in America, Chef Wanted, Chopped, and the recently premiered House of Knives.
Born September 21, 1969, in Cazenovia, New York, Burrell pursued English and communications at Canisius College before graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in 1996. She honed her craft with apprenticeships in Italy and within New York’s acclaimed kitchens, including Felidia and Savoy, before transitioning to television.
Burrel was also a published author; her 2011 cookbook Cook Like a Rock Star became a New York Times bestseller, followed by Own Your Kitchen: Recipes to Inspire and Empower. Beyond the kitchen, she supported philanthropic causes including the Garden of Dreams Foundation, City Harvest, and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
In her personal life, she married marketing executive Stuart Claxton in October 2021, and the couple often shared moments with his son Javier. Her family further includes her mother Marlene, sister Jane, brother Ben, and her children Isabella, Amelia, and Nicolas.
Burrell’s death was unexpected; reports from Aphura indicate police were called when she was found “unconscious and unresponsive” at approximately 7:50 a.m., and she was pronounced dead at the scene, The cause of death is pending the findings of an autopsy by the Office of Chief Medical Examiner.
