Anne Burrell made a lasting impression on many of her former colleagues before her sudden passing at 55.
Beau MacMillan, who appeared with Burrell on the inaugural season of Worst Cooks in America in 2010, shared his thoughts on the Food Network star in an exclusive statement to The Post.
“The news hit me like a gut punch,” said MacMillan, 54, on Wednesday, a day after Burrell’s death. “Anne was larger than life—whether she was leading a kitchen or filming a show, you always knew she was in control.”
MacMillan appeared alongside Burrell during the debut season of Worst Cooks in America in 2010.
“She was one of the most cherished icons in our industry and inspired millions,” he told The Post. “Anne was intelligent, gifted, and a joy to be with. Her loss has come far too early.”
In addition to the first season of Worst Cooks in America, MacMillan also competed alongside Burrell and eight others on Season 4 of Food Network’s The Next Iron Chef.
While neither chef won the competition, Burrell finished as the fourth runner-up, and MacMillan was eliminated after the fourth episode.
“Finding out about Anne’s sudden passing felt like a gut punch,” MacMillan said.
Shortly after news of Burrell’s sudden passing emerged, MacMillan paid tribute to his former co-host with a heartfelt Instagram post.
“Some of my fondest and most joyful memories are with you—from before Worst Cooks to all the years afterward. It was an honor to call you my friend!” he wrote, sharing a photo of them from Worst Cooks in America 15 years ago. “Godspeed, Anne.”
Burrell’s family and loved ones officially announced her death in a statement on Tuesday.
“Anne was a beloved wife, sister, daughter, stepmother, and friend—her smile brightened every room she entered,” her family said.
“Her light reached far beyond those who knew her, touching millions worldwide,” they added. “Though she is no longer with us, her warmth, spirit, and boundless love will live on forever.”
The New York City Police Department later disclosed that Burrell was found “unconscious and unresponsive” at her Brooklyn home Tuesday morning and was pronounced dead at the scene.
A spokesperson for the New York City Fire Department told Page Six that a 911 caller reported Burrell had suffered a “cardiac arrest,” though her official cause of death has yet to be confirmed.
Law enforcement sources informed TMZ that Burrell’s husband, Stuart Claxton, reportedly found her unresponsive on their shower floor “between six and seven hours” after he last saw her alive.
The Food Network, along with numerous celebrity chefs who worked with Burrell and considered her a friend, have since paid tribute to the beloved culinary icon.
“Anne was an extraordinary person and culinary talent—teaching, competing, and always emphasizing the importance of food in her life and the joy a delicious meal can bring,” a Food Network representative told The Post.
“Our thoughts are with Anne’s family, friends, and fans during this difficult time,” the network said.
Chef Tyler Florence, who appeared alongside Burrell on multiple seasons of Worst Cooks in America throughout its 28-year run, remembered her as a “legendary chef” and “an even better friend.”
“Anne was a legendary chef and an even better friend,” he told The Post. “She was the kind of person who showed up—for dinners, our kids’ birthday parties, or a swim in the ocean—and brightened every room she entered. I’ll never forget when our daughter Dorothy said Anne was her favorite chef—we always loved hearing that.”
The Food Network and numerous celebrity chefs have voiced their tributes to the beloved culinary icon.
“I’ll always remember Anne in her dressing room, knitting between takes, with one of her cats stopping by to say hello. She brought her generous heart, humor, and fiery spirit to everything she did,” Florence, 54, said. “She will be deeply missed by the entire Florence family.”
Rachael Ray, who worked with Burrell and was a bridesmaid at her 2021 wedding to Claxton, also remembered the “rockstar” chef.
“The news about Anne has truly shaken us. John and I are heartbroken,” Ray, 56, wrote on Instagram Wednesday. “I can’t quite believe it—such a strong, vibrant, fearless woman, so full of life and love, could be gone so soon.”
“Anne was a rockstar!” she added. “I got to know her well over many seasons of Worst Cooks on Food Network, and she became much more than just a colleague.”
Burrell lived life to the fullest until the very end, with her final Instagram post featuring her and the famed Green Lady of Brooklyn.
She also performed an improv comedy show at Second City New York in Brooklyn on Monday night.
Burrell embraced life fully right up until the very end.
A source present at the show said Burrell “was in great spirits” and “having a blast” just hours before she passed.
Although it never materialized, the Secrets of a Restaurant Chef host had considered making a guest appearance on the second season of Meghan Markle’s Netflix cooking show, With Love, Meghan.
“Sure, of course. I’d even go to the opening of an envelope,” she said in a recently resurfaced interview from April. “Why not cook with Meghan?”
