More information is emerging about Anne Burrell’s untimely passing.
Following the Food Network star’s death at the age of 55 on June 17, police shared details about their response to her home.
In a statement shared with NBC News, the New York City Police Department confirmed they were called to an address in Brooklyn—one that matches Burrell’s personal information—shortly before 8:00 a.m. in response to a report about “an unconscious and unresponsive 55-year-old female.” Emergency medical services responded, per the statement, and “pronounced her dead at the scene.”
According to the outlet, Burrell’s cause of death is still pending an autopsy with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
Following the death of the Worst Cooks in America host, her family—which includes husband Stuart Claxton, stepson Javier, mother Marlene and sister Jane—praised her as a “beloved wife, sister, daughter, stepmother and friend.”
“Her smile lit up every room she entered,” they added in the statement shared with E! News. “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.”
Burrell spent decades on the Food Network, first appearing on Iron Chef America as a sous chef in 2005 before going on to host her own series, cementing herself as a beloved part of the culinary team.
As the network noted in a statement, “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. Our thoughts are with Anne’s family, friends and fans during this time of tremendous loss.”
And while her career was filled with countless accomplishments—from a 2011 Emmy nomination for Secrets of a Restaurant Chef as well as two best-selling cookbooks and stints in some of the most coveted kitchens in America—Burrell always insisted cooking was supposed to be fun.
“I truly, in my heart, feel that your food knows how you’re feeling when you cook it and it reacts accordingly,” she told Tasting Table in April. “I like to put happy and joy into my food, and it’s not so serious.”
After all, as she continued, “I teach the worst cooks in the world. I mean, you got to know how to do that. So, to me, I want to express to people, ‘Take the fear factor out of it and put the fun factor in.’”
For a look back at the chef’s life, keep reading.
(NBC News and E! News are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)
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