Anne Burrell

About

Anne W. Burrell (September 21, 1969 – June 17, 2025) was an American chef, television personality, and instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education. She hosted the Food Network show Secrets of a Restaurant Chef and was co-host of Worst Cooks in America. She was also one of Mario Batali’s sous chefs in the Iron Chef America series and appeared on other programs on the network such as The Best Thing I Ever Ate.

Burrell was born in Cazenovia, New York, on September 21, 1969. She first took interest in cooking at the age of three after watching fellow American chef Julia Child, and by noticing her mother’s homemade foods. Her mother, Marlene, owned a flower shop. Meanwhile, her father was initially not supportive of her career in cooking; he later gave his support. Burrell’s first job was at a restaurant in downtown Syracuse, New York. She later attended Canisius College in Buffalo, New York, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in English and Communications in 1991.
A year later, Burrell enrolled at the Culinary Institute of America, graduating in 1996 with an Associate in Occupational Studies (A.O.S.). She also studied at the Italian Culinary Institute…