Celebrity chef Anne Burrell died of suicide due to “acute intoxication from multiple substances,” New York City’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirmed on Thursday, according to NBC News. She was found unresponsive in her Brooklyn home on the morning of June 17.
The Fire Department of the City of New York confirmed a cardiac arrest call at 7:50 a.m. to her address; she was declared dead upon arrival.
Burrell’s death initially reported without details
At the time of her death, the cause was unknown pending an autopsy. The New York Police Department said officers responded to a call shortly before 8 a.m. and found an unresponsive woman at the address, later identified as Burrell.
A familiar face on TV
Burrell last appeared on television in April 2024, preparing chicken Milanese with escarole salad on NBC’s Today show. She also competed on House of Knives earlier in the year.
Guiding the ‘Worst Cooks’ with humor
Known for her spiky platinum hair and colorful personality, Burrell was best recognised for coaching aspiring home chefs on Worst Cooks in America, which premiered in 2010.
On the debut episode, contestants offered bizarre dishes like peanut butter and cayenne cod.
She led 27 seasons of the show, with her final appearance in 2024.
“If people want to learn, I absolutely love to teach them,” she said on Good Morning America in 2020. “It’s just them breaking bad habits and getting out of their own way.”
Roots in New York and a passion for cooking
Born on September 21, 1969, in Cazenovia, New York, Burrell was raised by parents who ran a flower shop. She initially pursued a degree in English and communications from Canisius University and worked briefly as a headhunter.
She soon pivoted to culinary school at the Culinary Institute of America, graduating in 1996 and later teaching there.
Rise to stardom on the Food Network
After time in upscale New York City kitchens and culinary training in Italy, Burrell caught the eye of TV producers.
“Anytime Anne Burrell gets near hot oil, I want to be around,” New York Times critic Frank Bruni wrote in 2007.
In 2008, she launched her own show, Secrets of a Restaurant Chef. Over the years, she published two cookbooks — Cook Like a Rock Star and Own Your Kitchen — and was active in charitable causes.
Simple tastes
Despite her fame, Burrell’s tastes were modest. She once told The Post-Standard that her favorite food was bacon and her favorite meal was her mother’s tuna fish sandwich.
“Cooking is fun,” she said. “It doesn’t have to be scary. It’s creating something nurturing.”