Anne Burrell's inner circle ‘shocked and confused' after chef is found dead surrounded by pills
Anne Burrell's inner circle is in deep mourning after her tragic death.
'We're all shocked and confused,' a source close to the late Food Network star told People on Tuesday.
Burrell passed away on the morning of June 17 at her home in Brooklyn. She reportedly suffered a 'cardiac arrest' and was found 'unconscious and unresponsive' on the shower floor by her husband, Stuart Claxton, and pronounced dead at the scene.
9 Anne Burrell poses during the Food Network and Cooking Channel New York City Wine and Food Festival in Oct. 2019.
Getty Images for NYCWFF
A source told The Post that Burrell's body was discovered next to dozens of pills. The New York Times later reported that the NYPD was investigating her death as a possible overdose.
The night before her death, the celebrity chef performed an improv comedy show in Brooklyn.
'She was having the best night,' actress Jane Margolis, a member of Burrell's improv troupe, told People.
9 Anne Burrell on 'Good Morning America' in 2016.
Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images
'She'd come up with these one-liners out of the blue that were just hysterical,' added Margolis. 'She really was so into it.'
During the improv show, Burrell 'was in great spirits' during and after the event, a source who was with her that night previously told People.
Many of Burrell's friends and colleagues have remembered her fondly since her passing.
9 Anne Burrell and Craig Melvin on 'Today' in Aug. 2023.
Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images
9 Pastry chef Duff Goldman and Anne Burrell.
duffgoldman/Instagram
'She gave constant encouragement to invite other women into the field of cooking,' Chef Alex Guarnaschelli said to People, noting that Burrell was special because of her 'girl chef's sensibility.'
Chef Sunny Anderson added that the 'Worst Cooks in America' host 'didn't shrink for TV. TV kind of had to contain her.'
Meanwhile, chef Tyler Florence called Burrell 'a force of nature.'
9 Anne Burrell cooking at the 2019 Food Network and Cooking Channel New York City Wine and Food Festival.
Getty Images for NYCWFF
'That 'it factor' people talk about with celebrities? She had it in spades,' Florence, 54, told People. 'She was so big people would just fall all over her.'
Elizabeth Eaton Rosenthal, the influencer who appeared in Burrell's final Instagram post, told the Daily Mail on Monday that Burrell was 'very happy' when they ran into each other just days before the star's death.
9 Anne Burrell with her husband Stuart Claxton in 2022.
Anne Burrell/Instagram
9 Anne Burrell with her sister Jane.
Anne Burrell/Instagram
'She said she had been wanting to meet me for so long,' the Green Lady of Brooklyn said, 'and she finally did, so she was very happy'
Other stars who have paid tribute to Burrell include Rachael Ray, who served as a bridesmaid in Burrell and Claxton's 2021, and Bobby Flay, who worked with Burrell on 'Worst Cooks in America.'
Burrell's family paid tribute to the adored chef as well.
9 Anne Burrell at the 2016 Food Network and Cooking Channel South Beach Wine and Food Festival.
Thaddaeus McAdams
'Anne was a beloved wife, sister, daughter, stepmother and friend — her smile lit up every room she entered,' the family said in a statement last week.
'Anne's light radiated far beyond those she knew, touching millions across the world,' the statement continued. 'Though she is no longer with us, her warmth, spirit and boundless love remain eternal.'
9 Anne Burrell attends day two of the Austin FOOD and WINE Festival 2023.
Scott Moore/Shutterstock
Over 100 loved ones went to Burrell's private wake on the Upper East Side over the weekend.
Burrell's Food Network colleagues, including 'Chopped' judge Scott Conant, Amanda Freitag and Marc Murphy, were among the attendees.
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Actors Whose Roles In Movie Were Cut Down Or Scrapped
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New York Post
4 hours ago
- New York Post
New baby shower trend avoids ‘I hate people watching me open gifts' awkwardness
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