Latest news with #WorstCooks'
New York Post
a day ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Chef Duff Goldman reveals ‘complex relationship' with Anne Burrell after her death at 55
Chef Duff Goldman is honoring the late Anne Burrell. The pastry chef, 50, penned a touching tribute to the cook after she was found dead at her home on Tuesday at age 55. 'I've written and re-written this post so many times in the past 24 hours and I just don't know what to say. Anne and I became friends in probably 2006,' Goldman wrote via Instagram on Thursday. 'She was going through some stuff and I had heard that she was feeling it so on a trip to NYC from Baltimore I had made her a cake that said 'Don't let the bastards win.' She never did.' 8 Duff Goldman and Anne Burrell. duffgoldman/Instagram Despite their friendship having its ups and downs since meeting in the mid-2000s, the TV personality always wished his fellow kitchen connoisseur well. 'We had a complex relationship and I remember the last conversation we had before our paths drifted was a pretty feisty debate about the merits of catfish. I believe the words 'trash fish,' 'tastes like mud,' and 'cake boy' were used, haha,' Goldman continued. 'Anne and I always had a spirited and somewhat acerbic back and forth. I really never knew why our paths drifted but I always hoped that wherever she was, Anne was doing well and was finding some happiness.' 8 Chef Anne Burrell. Getty Images for NYCWFF The pair ran into one another a few years back in New York City and had a chance to speak. Although Goldman didn't disclose what he and Burrell talked about, he did write that 'that conversation left my heart lifted and full of light, for it truly seemed to me that Anne really had found a measure of happiness and love. Life is tough, and we have to be tough to get through it.' Goldman added, 'Anne was as tough as they come, but when you got past the armor there was a depth of compassion and kindness that was absolutely beautiful. My heart sings when I think of the love and tranquility that it seems Anne had found recently.' 8 Chef Anne Burrell attends Food Network's Food and Wine Festival. Getty Images for NYCWFF Burrell tied the knot with Stuart Claxton in 2021 and stepped away from hosting 'Worst Cooks in America' in 2024 after 14 seasons on air. The TV star continued to share glimpses into her personal life on social media over the years and also started doing improv in New York City. Goldman concluded his heartfelt post, 'Anne, wherever you are I hope they have slow moving rivers because when I get there, we'll get a couple of rods, a pint of chicken livers, and a sixer and I'll teach you how to catch and cook the best catfish you ever had. Rest up, chef.' Many of Burrell's fellow chefs shared their condolences after news of her passing broke Tuesday. 8 Chef Anne Burrell on ABC's 'Good Morning America.' Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images Her 'Worst Cooks' co-host Beau MacMillan, who starred alongside Burrell on the show's first season, told The Post Wednesday, 'The news hit me like a gut punch.' The reality star, 54, noted, 'Anne was bigger than life, whether she was running a kitchen or filming a show, you knew she was in charge.' Meanwhile, Rachael Ray, who served as a bridesmaid in Burrell's wedding, took to social media to reveal her devastation over the news. 8 Chef Anne Burrell conducts a culinary presentation on KitchenAid stage at the Grand Tasting presented by ShopRite. Bryan Bedder 'The news about Anne has truly shaken us. John and I are heartbroken,' the 56-year-old wrote on 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! I came to know her well through multiple seasons of Worst Cooks on Food Network, and she became so much more than a colleague.' Bobby Flay, for his part, broke his silence on Thursday, writing: ''Worst Cooks in America' was the funnest show on TV. All of your co-hosts (me included) were just alongside for the Anne Burrell ride.' 8 Anne Burrell the 2025 City Harvest Gala. Getty Images for City Harvest The restaurateur, 60, expressed that 'the greatest gift I got from AB was turning me on to a world of Maine Coon Cats (including Nacho)… a gift that I'll have forever.' Flay, whose cat is Nacho, included a photo of Burrell holding two Calico Maine Coon cats. On Tuesday, Burrell was found unresponsive in the shower by Claxton at their home in Brooklyn, New York. Officers shared that EMS 'responded and pronounced her deceased on scene,' sharing that the 911 call was originally for a reported cardiac arrest. 8 Anne Burrell. Evan Agostini/Invision/AP On Thursday, sources told The Post that Burrell's body was found next to dozens of pills. Her death is still an ongoing investigation. Burrell's family confirmed the news in a statement to People on Tuesday. 'Anne was a beloved wife, sister, daughter, stepmother, and friend — her smile lit up every room she entered,' they shared. '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.' 8 Duff Goldman, Carla Hall, Mike Curtin, and Anne Burrell attend DC Central Kitchen's Capital Food Fight at the Ronald Reagan Building on November 12, 2015. Larry French Shortly after, a representative from Food Network shared with The Post: '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. Our thoughts are with Anne's family, friends and fans during this time of tremendous loss.'
USA Today
a day ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Rachael Ray, Anne Burrell's bridesmaid, remembers Food Network star
Food Network star and celebrity chef Anne Burrell's death has saddened her fans, friends and peers, including Burrell's own bridesmaid Rachael Ray, who is mourning the loss of her close friend. The TV personality and former "Rachel Ray Show" host took to social media one day after Burrell's July 17 death to tell fans that "the news about Anne has truly shaken us," adding that her husband "John (Cusimano) and I are heartbroken." Ray was a bridesmaid during Burrell's 2021 fall-themed wedding to Stuart Claxton. The celebrity chef expressed that she "can't quite believe" the news and praised her friend in the post. She called Burrell "a strong, vibrant, fearless woman," who was "so full of life and love" and "gone so soon." Burrell, known for her buoyant personality on numerous Food Network appearances including as host of "Worst Cooks," died earlier this week at her home in New York, the Food Network confirmed. A cause was not disclosed and is currently under investigation by the city's Office of the Medical Examiner. The "Worst Cooks in America" franchise star's sudden death sent shockwaves through the tight-knit culinary fan community and shook her fellow celebrities including Bobby Flay, Gigi Hadid, Tyler Florence and Carla Hall. "Anne was a rockstar! I came to know her well through multiple seasons of 'Worst Cooks' on Food Network, and she became so much more than a colleague," Ray wrote. "Anne honored me by asking me to be her bridesmaid, something I'd only done once before for my sister." Ray, who is not a trained chef, said that "despite being surrounded by incredible chefs, she never once made me feel self-conscious about not being one — she always treated me as one of the gang." "When we hosted Worst Cooks together, we had the most incredible laughs. She even cooked for me and my guests at my wedding anniversary in Italy," Ray said. "I'll never forget walking into our dressing rooms at Food Network studios early in the morning and hearing her blasting the song of the moment down the hall." Ray concluded the caption: "I'll miss her friendship deeply. Everyone whose life she touched will miss her. Sending love to Stuart and everyone who knew and loved Anne. We've lost someone truly special." Contributing: Brendan Morrow, Kelly Lawler
USA Today
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Anne Burrell remembered by Gigi Hadid, Food Network colleagues: 'A beautiful soul'
Anne Burrell remembered by Gigi Hadid, Food Network colleagues: 'A beautiful soul' Show Caption Hide Caption Celebrity chef Anne Burrell dies at 55 Celebrity chef and beloved Food Network personality Anne Burrell has died at the age of 55 at her home in New York, according to the network. unbranded - Entertainment Tributes are pouring in for Food Network star Anne Burrell, who is being remembered as an "incredible" chef and a "beautiful soul." Burrell, known for her buoyant personality on numerous Food Network appearances including as host of "Worst Cooks in America," died on June 17 at her home in New York, the Food Network confirmed. A cause was not disclosed. She was 55. In an Instagram story, Gigi Hadid, who joined Burrell on an episode of "Beat Bobby Flay" in 2020, said she was "heartbroken" about the chef's death. "As a longtime fan, getting to share this day with her was a dream come true," Hadid wrote on top of a photo from their episode. The model added, "I wish we could have done it again. She was awesome. Rest in peace legend." Food Network stars mourn Anne Burrell Tyler Florence, who co-starred with Burrell on "Worst Cooks in America," said he was "heartbroken," recalling her "razor wit and sincere kindness" and noting that she "lit up the room." Anne Burrell, chef and Food Network star, dies at 55 "A very special person who shared her love of cooking with a generation," Florence wrote. "I was lucky to have a front row seat to watch her gift. She was an incredible Chef and I learned a lot from her as we all do with one another." "Worst Cooks in America" stars Beau MacMillan and Robert Irvine also paid tribute on Instagram. MacMillan said that "some of the most fun and best memories are with" Burrell, while Irvine wrote that she "was a radiant spirit who lit up every room she entered." "Outside of 'Worst Cooks' I came to know her as a generous and supportive colleague and an even better friend," Irvine wrote. "I'll always remember her unwavering dedication, not just to food, but to lifting others up. She believed in nurturing culinary potential and celebrating small victories, whether in an amateur cook or on a charity fundraiser." Carla Hall also said on Instagram that she "absolutely loved" working with Burrell on "Worst Cooks in America," describing her as a "fierce" chef and instructor and remembering her "unforgettable big smile." Hall added, "Anne, you brought so much heart and heat to every kitchen. You. Will. Be. Missed." Buddy Valastro, the star of "Cake Boss," said in an Instagram post that Burrell's "passion, energy, and love for food lit up every kitchen," adding that she was a "true force and a beautiful soul." Chef Elizabeth Falkner wrote that she was "in shock" to hear about Burrell's death. One of Burrell's final Instagram posts was about a "delightful evening" the two shared, and Falkner noted they "just reconnected" last week and said they would "make a point of talking more often and getting together when we can." "She was a fierce and fun culinary competitor and when we did 'Next Iron Chef' together years ago, we were competitive but we had fun too," Falkner wrote. Celebrities tell all about aging, marriage and Beyoncé in these 10 bingeable memoirs A Food Network spokesperson previously said in a statement that Burrell 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." Contributing: Edward Segarra
