Anne Burrell's cause of death has been revealed after the Food Network star sadly passed away aged 55.
Burrell was found unconscious and unresponsive in the shower of her Brooklyn home on the morning of June 17.
A 911 call was placed at 7:50AM local time, with the caller stating concerns of a potential cardiac arrest.
According to the NYPD, EMS responded but pronounced Burrell deceased at the scene. A New York City Fire Department source later said she was “DOA [dead on arrival].”
Her husband, Stuart Claxton, reportedly last saw her alive around 1:00AM that morning.
According to TMZ, he later found her cold and unresponsive and was instructed to attempt CPR after calling emergency services.
In a report published by The New York Times, Burrell was discovered “surrounded by approximately (100) assorted pills.”
As reported by PEOPLE, Burrell’s official cause of death is listed as “acute intoxication due to the combined effects of diphenhydramine, ethanol, cetirizine, and amphetamine.”
Diphenhydramine and cetirizine are antihistamines, ethanol is alcohol, and amphetamine is commonly prescribed for ADHD.
The New York City medical examiner’s office states that Burrell died by suicide.
Just hours before her death, Burrell had taken the stage for the final performance of her “Improv for Actors” course at The Second City New York in Brooklyn.
Friends said she was glowing that night, full of laughter and energy. “She was having the best night,” actress Jane Margolis, a fellow improv performer, told PEOPLE. “She’d come up with these one-liners out of the blue that were just hysterical. She really was so into it.”
Another source who attended the show echoed the sentiment: she “was in great spirits last night during and after the improv show. Typical fun, outgoing Anne, having a blast.”
The devastating news of her passing stunned the culinary world. Her family released a heartfelt statement shortly after: “Anne was a beloved wife, sister, daughter, stepmother, and friend — her smile lit up every room she entered.
"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.”
A towering figure in the culinary community, Burrell was best known as the longtime host of Worst Cooks in America, where she coached kitchen novices through hilarious and heartwarming transformations.
Born on September 21, 1969, in Cazenovia, New York, Burrell was first inspired to cook by her mother’s home meals and by TV chef Julia Child.
She initially studied English and Communication at Canisius College in Buffalo before pursuing culinary arts at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, where she graduated in 1996.
She trained in Italy and worked at iconic restaurants including Felidia with Lidia Bastianich and the Savoy in SoHo. By the early 2000s, Burrell was teaching at the Institute of Culinary Education and soon after made her Food Network debut as a sous chef on Iron Chef America.
Her breakout came with Secrets of a Restaurant Chef, the Emmy-nominated series that ran for nine seasons starting in 2008.
She became a regular on hit Food Network shows including Chopped, Chef Wanted, Food Network Star, The Best Thing I Ever Ate, and most recently, House of Knives, which premiered in March 2025.
Burrell also authored two bestselling cookbooks: Cook Like a Rock Star in 2011, which hit the New York Times bestseller list, and Own Your Kitchen: Recipes to Inspire and Empower in 2013.
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