Chef Anne Burrell died by suicide, ABC News confirmed.
It’s been just over five weeks since Burrell was found unresponsive in her Brooklyn home on June 17. The City of New York Office of Chief Medical Examiner concluded its investigation on Thursday, determining suicide as her cause of death.
The chef died by “acute intoxication due to the combined effects of diphenhydramine, ethanol, cetirizine, and amphetamine,” the medical examiner said.
Burrell is survived by her husband, Stuart Claxton, whom she married in October 2021, and his son, Javier; her mother, Marlene Burrell; her sister, Jane Burrell-Uzcategui, and Jane’s children; and her brother, Ben Burrell.
Burrell was a longtime co-host of Food Network’s Worst Cooks in America, and she left a lasting impact on her culinary TV family.
Tributes poured in from all corners of the food world in the days following her sudden death, with sentiments from fellow titans of the industry like Tyler Florence, Alex Guarnaschelli and Elizabeth Falkner, who shared fond memories and deep remorse for the loss on social media.
Burrell was born on Sept. 21, 1969, in Cazenovia, New York, and developed a passion for cooking early on, inspired by her mother’s home-cooked meals and TV icon Julia Child.
As a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in 1996, Burrell went on to study at the Italian Culinary Institute for Foreigners, where she honed her love for Italian cuisine through apprenticeships across the country.
Upon returning to the U.S. in 1998, Burrell worked at kitchens in New York City under Lidia Bastianich and later led the kitchen at Savoy in SoHo, where she crafted Mediterranean-inspired dishes over an open wood fire.
After several years in the restaurant world, Burrell transitioned to teaching at the Institute of Culinary Education.
She began her television career as a sous chef on Iron Chef America, eventually landing her own Emmy-nominated show, Secrets of a Restaurant Chef, which ran for nine seasons.
Burrell was an early star and staple figure on Food Network, appearing in shows including Chopped, Chef Wanted and Food Network Star, most recently competing in House of Knives in 2025.
The new season of Worst Cooks in America, featuring Burrell’s final appearance as a mentor, premieres on Food Network on Monday at 9 p.m. ET and streams the next day on HBO Max.
She also authored two cookbooks, including The New York Times bestseller Cook Like a Rock Star.
If you are in crisis or know someone in crisis, contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, by calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or by visiting 988lifeline.org. You can also contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.
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