The world lost a great chef in Anne Burrell, but Rachael Ray is mourning the death of one of her dearest friends.
“The news about Anne has truly shaken us. John and I are heartbroken,” Ray, 56, shared via Instagram on Wednesday, June 18, referring to her husband John Cusimano. “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.”
She continued, “Anne honored me by asking me to be her bridesmaid, something I’d only done once before for my sister. 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 recalled Burrell “blasting the song of the moment” in her dressing room while they were filming at Food Network together.
“Anne had great taste in music and in life — she was a force in the kitchen, in any room, in every life she touched,” she concluded. “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.”
Ray’s touching tribute came after Us Weekly confirmed that Burrell died on Tuesday, June 17, at her home in Brooklyn, New York. She was 55.
Anne Burrell Through the Years: From Renowned Chef to Food Network Star
“Anne was a beloved wife, sister, daughter, stepmother, and friend — her smile lit up every room she entered,” Burrell’s family told Us in a statement on Tuesday. “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.”
The Food Network, where Burrell worked as an on-air chef and host for decades, also praised the late star following her untimely death.
“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,” a spokesperson for the network told Us in a statement at the time. “Our thoughts are with Anne’s family, friends and fans during this time of tremendous loss.”
Like Ray, Burrell was one of the biggest names on Food Network prior to her death. While Ray is best known for hosting Rachael Ray from 2006 to 2023 — which was on various local channels across the country — her series 30 Minute Meals premiered on Food Network in 2001.
Burrell, meanwhile, gained fame after hosting Worst Cooks in America for the network from 2010 to 2024. She also competed against Bobby Flay on Beat Bobby Flay more than 40 times from 2014 to 2023.
As their respective careers grew, Ray and Burrell maintained a close bond. Burrell appeared as a guest on Rachel Ray 23 times during its run and both chefs had stints on The Best Thing I Ever Ate over the years.
Inside Anne Burrell’s Final Days Before Her Untimely Death
The stars most recently teamed up for several seasons of Worst Cooks in America. Ray appeared on seasons 7, 9, 10 and 11, all of which Burrell hosted.
Offscreen, Ray and Burrell were thick as thieves. When Burrell married Stuart Claxton in October 2021, Ray was one of her four bridesmaids. (It was Ray’s first time being part of a bridal party.)
“My beautiful bridesmaids!!” Burrell wrote via Instagram ahead of the nuptials, singing her squad’s praises. “I feel so grateful to have such an AMAZING group of smart, strong, funny and just AMAZING people around me. I am truly a lucky girl!!!”
Sandra Lee Mourns Death of Anne Burrell: ‘Larger Than Life’
Later that month, Burrell made another cameo on Rachael Ray and gushed about the appearance on social media. “Check me out cooking with my super friend and bridesmaid @rachaelray tomorrow!!!” Burrell wrote via Instagram, sharing a photo from set. “We’re cooking and talking all things wedding!! #ilovewhatido #luckygirl @rachaelrayshow.”
One year later, Burrell reminisced about working with Ray on Worst Cooks in America, revealing one of the worst dishes the pair have ever tasted.
“There’s one that Rachael Ray and I always laugh about because it happened on a season with [her]. It was this guy that, on the first day of what we call the ‘baseline challenge,’ took a can of tuna fish, and I don’t even think he really drained it,” Burrell recalled to Mashed in May 2022. “And mixed it with about two cups of mayonnaise and a jar of — Rachael and I dispute this, she thinks it was grape jelly, I think it was raspberry jelly — regardless, gross.”
As their friendship continued to flourish, Ray and Burrell always had each other’s backs and supported one another’s projects. That was the case in December 2024, when Burrell appeared on Ray’s “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead” podcast.
Everything Rachael Ray and Husband John Cusimano Have Said About Each Other
“My friend Anne Burrell is an incredible chef,” Ray said during the episode introduction. “Everyone knows her from so many things. But she’s always been so open and honest with me about how human she also is.”
Burrell was at ease talking with Ray on the podcast, explaining, “It’s kinda funny that, ‘Oh, because you’re a tough, strong woman, that you can’t be kind and nice at the same time or feminine.’ This is also why I wear skirts in the kitchen. It was a way to always maintain my femininity.”
Burrell revealed: “Yeah, I’m a badass girl chef and I own that, and I love that. Especially for successful women. They’re either tough or if they’re feeling then they’re weak. That sorta irritates the crap out of me.”
