Anne Burrell The Food Network star died at her home in Brooklyn on the morning of Tuesday, June 17, at the age of 55.

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Anne Burrell found ‘unconscious and unresponsive’ as details of celeb chef’s shocking death are revealed​

By
Whitney Vasquez
Published June 17, 2025, 9:48 p.m. ET
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More details of Anne Burrell’s unexpected death are emerging.

The Food Network star died at her home in Brooklyn on the morning of Tuesday, June 17, at the age of 55.

The New York City Police Department now shared that Burrell was found “unconscious and unresponsive” and pronounced dead at the scene.

Anne Burrell in a black jacket and black shirt with her left hand on her side.9
More details of Anne Burrell’s unexpected death have emerged.Guerin Charles/ABACA/Shutterstock
Anne Burrell wearing a dark shirt with an Austin Food & Wine Festival sign in the background.9
The NYPD has revealed that Burrell was found “unconscious and unresponsive” and pronounced dead at the scene at her Brooklyn home on Tuesday morning.Getty Images

At about 7:50 a.m., law enforcement from the 76th Precinct responded to “an unconscious and unresponsive 55-year-old female,” police told People shortly after her tragic passing made headlines.

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A two-photo collage of celebrity chef Anne Burrell before her sudden passing.

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Food Network star and ‘Worst Cooks in America’ host dead at 55

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According to officers, EMS “responded and pronounced her deceased on scene.”

Burrell was not identified as the deceased, as police revealed that they are still working on notifying the victim’s loved ones.

Anne Burrell in a white chef's outfit and standing in a kitchen.9
At about 7:50 a.m., law enforcement from the 76th Precinct responded to “an unconscious and unresponsive 55-year-old female,” police said in a statement.Thaddaeus McAdams
However, People noted that the “Worst Cooks in America” star’s address allegedly matched the one that law enforcement included in their statement.

Burrell’s family confirmed her death in a heartbreaking statement.

“Anne was a beloved wife, sister, daughter, stepmother, and friend — her smile lit up every room she entered,” their statement read.

Anne Burrell in a white chef's outfit.9
Burrell’s loved ones confirmed her shocking death in a heartbreaking statement of their own.Bloomberg via Getty Images
“Anne’s light radiated far beyond those she knew, touching millions across the world,” the family added. “Though she is no longer with us, her warmth, spirit, and boundless love remain eternal.”

Burrell’s cause of death was not revealed, with the cause and manner pending an autopsy, which will be conducted by the Office of Chief Medical Examiner.

The Food Network also praised the celebrity chef with a touching tribute.

Anne Burrell in a green-and-white patterned shirt.9
“Though she is no longer with us, her warmth, spirit, and boundless love remain eternal,” the Food Network’s stars family said.Brian Zak/Page Six
“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,” a representative for the network told The Post.

“Our thoughts are with Anne’s family, friends and fans during this time of tremendous loss,” they concluded.

Burrell rose to fame, appearing on several cooking shows, including “Iron Chef America,” “Chef Wanted” and “Chopped.” She earned an Emmy nomination for her show “Secrets of a Restaurant Chef,” which ran for nine seasons.

Anne Burrell in a black dress and jacket.9
The Food Network also praised Burrell with a touching tribute.Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival
The star was also recently featured on an episode of the reality competition series “House of Knives.”

In addition to television, the famous chef released two cookbooks: “Cook Like a Rock Star” in 2011, which became a New York Times bestseller, and “Own Your Kitchen: Recipes to Inspire & Empower” in 2013.

Days before her shocking death, Burrell shared what would be her final Instagram post.

The Green Lady of Brooklyn and Anne Burrell together on the streets of Brooklyn.9
The celebrity chef’s final Instagram post was a picture of her with the Green Lady of Brooklyn on Thursday, June 12.chefanneburrell/Instagram
Posing on the street with NYC fixture Elizabeth Eaton Rosenthal, known as the Green Lady of Brooklyn, the Food Network star captioned the smiling shot, “I ran into @greenladyofbrooklyn in my neighborhood today!! I’m not going to lie- I have been keeping an eye out for her. I may or may not have followed her down the street for a minute. She is just lovely!!!”

Less than a week prior to her unexpected passing, Burrell caught up with fellow chefs Franklin Becker and Elizabeth Falkner at Soho House.

Becker, who appeared on “Top Chef Masters,” shared photos from the night after learning about Burrell’s death.

Anne Burrell in a black dress and her husband, Stuart Claxton, in a gray suit.9
Burrell and her husband, Stuart Claxton, attended the City Harvest Presents The 2025 Gala: Carnaval at Cipriani 42nd Street on April 22, 2025, in New York City.Getty Images for City Harvest
“I am stunned… I just had dinner with Anne and Stuart the other night at Elizabeth’s pop up. We were making karaoke plans together. I simply cannot believe this. Anne was a gifted chef and a friend. No words,” he wrote.

Chef Tyler Florence, who joined Burrell as judge and host on “Worst Cooks in America” during its 28-season run, broke his silence on her death.

“Anne was a legendary chef and an even better friend. She was the kind of person who showed up — for dinners, our kids birthday parties, or a swim in the ocean — and lit up every room she walked in to. I’ll never forget when our daughter Dorothy told me Anne was her favorite chef — we always got a kick out of that,” he told The Post.

Anne Burrell in a cheetah-print shirt and her signature pixie haircut.9
Many of Burrell’s friends and cooking colleagues have started to pay tributes to the beloved Food Network star following the devastating news of her passing.Erik Pendzich/Shutterstock
Florence also spoke about their time filming.

“We shared many adventures, especially during our years filming Worst Cooks in America. She had a true gift for teaching people how to cook — with patience, wit and just the right amount of sass,” he continued.

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“I’ll always picture Anne in her dressing room, knitting between takes, with one of her cats wandering in to say hello. She brought her generous heart, humor and feisty spirit to everything she did. She will be deeply missed by the entire Florence Family.”

Burrell is survived by her husband, Stuart Claxton, his son, Javier, her mother, Marlena, and her siblings, Jane and Ben.
 
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Anne Burrell’s Cause of Death Ruled a Suicide 5 Weeks After Food Network Star Died at 55​

People
Sabrina Weiss
Thu, July 24, 2025 at 11:42 AM EDT
386

Anne Burrell cause of death has been revealed five weeks after the celebrity chef died at 55.

Burrell died by suicide, PEOPLE can confirm. Her cause of death is specified as "acute intoxication due to the combined effects of diphenhydramine, ethanol, cetirizine, and amphetamine," and was determined by the New York City medical examiner's office. Diphenhydramine and cetirizine are antihistamines, ethanol is a compound found in alcohol and amphetamine is commonly used to treat ADHD.

Her family declined PEOPLE's request to comment.

Reps for the star announced Burrell's death in a release obtained by PEOPLE on Tuesday, June 17.

"Anne was a beloved wife, sister, daughter, stepmother, and friend — her smile lit up every room she entered," her family said in a statement.

The statement continued, "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."

The Food Network star was “discovered in the shower unconscious and unresponsive surrounded by approximately (100) assorted pills,” The New York Times reported Friday, June 20, citing an internal New York Police Department document viewed by the outlet.

Food Network

Food Network
A spokesperson for the NYPD told PEOPLE on June 18, the day after Burrell’s death, that the Worst Cooks in America host was found “unconscious and unresponsive” at the scene. EMS "responded and pronounced her deceased on scene," police said.

According to a 911 call report provided to PEOPLE by the New York City Fire Department, a person called in at 7:50 a.m. local time, concerned that she had suffered cardiac arrest.

A fan-favorite on the Food Network, Burrell was best known as the longtime host of Worst Cooks in America, where her passion for food and mentorship turned disastrous kitchen hopefuls into capable cooks.

Food Network/Discovery Anne Burrell on 'Worst Cooks in America'

Food Network/Discovery

Anne Burrell on 'Worst Cooks in America'
Born on Sept. 21, 1969, in Cazenovia, New York, Burrell discovered her love for cooking early, inspired by her mother’s home-cooked meals and television icon, Julia Child.


She studied English and Communication at Canisius College in Buffalo before pursuing a culinary career at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, where she graduated in 1996. In the early 2000s, Burrell transitioned into teaching at the Institute of Culinary Education and eventually made her way to television.

Gustavo Caballero/Getty Anne Burrell during the New York City Wine & Food Festival in 2017

Gustavo Caballero/Getty

Anne Burrell during the New York City Wine & Food Festival in 2017
Food Network audiences first met Burrell as a sous chef on Iron Chef America. Her charisma and culinary chops led to her own Emmy-nominated show, Secrets of a Restaurant Chef, which premiered in 2008 and ran for nine seasons.

From there, Burrell became Food Network staple, also appearing on Chef Wanted, Chopped, Food Network Star, and most recently, the competition series House of Knives, which just premiered in March 2025.

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Burrell authored two cookbooks: 2011's Cook Like a Rock Star, which made her a New York Times bestseller, and Own Your Kitchen: Recipes to Inspire and Empower in 2013.

A tribute to Anne Burrell on the cover of PEOPLE Magazine

A tribute to Anne Burrell on the cover of PEOPLE Magazine
Burrell and husband Stuart Claxton met on Bumble in 2018 before getting married three years later on Oct. 16, 2021.

The night before she died, on June 16, Burrell closed out her Second City “Improv for Actors” course with a final performance in Brooklyn.

“She was having the best night,” actress Jane Margolis, a member of Burrell’s improv troupe, told PEOPLE in the July 7 issue. “She’d come up with these one-liners out of the blue that were just hysterical. She really was so into it.”

She is survived by Claxton and his son, Javier, as well as her mother, Marlene, and sister, Jane, her children Isabella, Amelia and Nicolas, and her brother Ben.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, substance use problems, or just needs to talk, call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org 24/7.

Read the original article on People
 
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