Beloved Food Network star Anne Burrell died by suicide, according to the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner.
On Thursday morning, the chief medical examiner listed the cause of death as “acute intoxication due to the combined effects of diphenhydramine, ethanol, cetirizine, and amphetamine.”
The celebrity chef and host of “Worst Cooks in America” died June 17 at her home in New York. She was 55.
The Food Network honored Burrell’s legacy with a night of curated episodes of “Worst Cooks” on June 25. Her final season on “Worst Cooks,” co-hosted with Gabe Bertaccini, is scheduled to premiere July 28.
Following the news of Burrell’s sudden death, her co-stars and colleagues paid tribute on social media.
“A very special person who shared her love of cooking with a generation,” Tyler Florence, Burrell’s longtime “Worst Cooks” co-host, wrote on Instagram following her death. “I was lucky to have a front row seat to watch her gift. She was an incredible Chef and I learned a lot from her, as we all do with one another.”
Burrell “owned New York City” and could often be found at Rangers games, Florence continued. While filming “Worst Cooks,” Burrell would join Florence’s family for dinner once a week and the two would stay out late drinking red wine if they didn’t have work the next day.
“Anne had a collage of star tattoos on her left arm. I asked her what they meant and she said she loved the night sky. And, how lucky she felt to be a star,” Florence wrote. “She was one of the brightest. There’s a new star in the sky tonight. I see you Anne. With all your sparkle, looking down.”
Fellow Food Network star Bobby Flay, who co-hosted “Worst Cooks” for four seasons, posted on his Instagram story a photo of Burrell holding two Maine Coon cats, noting that the chef was the one who introduced him to the breed. Flay’s late cat Nacho is a Maine Coon and the inspiration behind his cat food brand “Made by Nacho.”
“Worst Cooks in America was the funnest show on TV,” Flay wrote. “All of your co-hosts (me included) were just along for the Anne Burrell ride.”
Model Gigi Hadid, who appeared alongside Burrell on an episode of “Beat Bobby Flay” in 2020, also took to Instagram to express her grief.
“As a longtime fan, getting to share this day with her was a dream come true,” Hadid wrote in a story. “I wish we could have done it again. She was awesome. Rest in Peace Legend.”
Other Food Network regulars who honored Burrell include chefs Alex Guarnaschelli, Giada De Laurentiis and Maneet Chauhan; “Worst Cooks” co-hosts Beau MacMillan, Robert Irvine and Carla Hall; “The Next Food Network Star” winner Aarti Sequeira; and “Cake Boss” star Buddy Valastro.
“Anne, your passion, energy, and love for food lit up every kitchen,” Valastro wrote on Instagram. “You were a true force and a beautiful soul. Rest in peace, Chef.”
