Heartbreaking News: Beloved Food Network Star and “Worst Cooks in America” Host Anne Burrell Has Passed Away at 55. Fans and fellow chefs are sharing their tributes and memories of her incredible talent and vibrant personality. Rest in peace, Anne. 💔🍴

Anne Burrell — the beloved chef known for her trademark spiky platinum hair, larger-than-life personality and culinary expertise — died on the morning of Tuesday, June 17 at her home in Brooklyn, New York. She was 55.

Reps for the star announced Burrell’s death in a release obtained by PEOPLE.

Anne Burrell
Anne Burrell.
Ken Goodman
She is survived by her husband Stuart Claxton, whom she wed on Oct. 16, 2021, and his son, Javier, as well as her mother, Marlene, and sister, Jane, her children Isabella, Amelia and Nicolas, and her brother Ben.

“Anne was a beloved wife, sister, daughter, stepmother, and friend — her smile lit up every room she entered,” her family said in a statement. “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.”

Chef Anne Burrell poses during the Food Network & Cooking Channel New York City Wine & Food Festival presented by Capital One – Dinner with Anne Burrell and Marc Murphy part of the Bank of America Dinner Series at Chefs Club on October 10, 2019 in New York City.
Anne Burrell at the New York City Wine & Food Festival in October 2019.
Daniel Zuchnik/Getty
A fan-favorite on the Food Network, Burrell was best known as the longtime host of Worst Cooks in America, where her passion for food and mentorship turned disastrous kitchen hopefuls into capable cooks.

Her infectious enthusiasm, signature laugh and fierce kitchen skills made her a standout in the world of food television.

Born on Sept. 21, 1969, in Cazenovia, New York, Burrell discovered her love for cooking early, inspired by her mother’s home-cooked meals and television icon, Julia Child.

She studied English and Communication at Canisius College in Buffalo before pursuing a culinary career at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, where she graduated in 1996.