Food Network star Anne Burrell addressed the possibility of cooking with Meghan Markle, just weeks before the chef’s shocking death at the age of 55.
When asked in an April interview if she’d want to be a guest on the Duchess of Sussex’s Netflix series “With Love, Meghan,” Burrell responded in the affirmative.
“Sure, of course. I’d go to the opening of an envelope,” she told the Daily Mail. “Why not cook with Meghan?”
Despite her willingness to appear on the show, the “Secrets of a Restaurant Chef” star said she hadn’t tried Markle’s famous As Ever fruit spread.
“I’m not really a jam girl,” she told the outlet.
“Occasionally, I make them for my husband. I make scones and we have jam then. Other than that, I wouldn’t say I’m super jammy.”
Markle’s lifestyle series, which premiered in March, featured celebrity guest chefs including Alice Waters and Roy Choi.
The culinary star was reportedly found unresponsive on the shower floor Tuesday morning by her husband, Stuart Claxton, according to TMZ. After emergency services arrived, Burrell was declared dead at the scene.
Though a cause of death has not been revealed and an investigation is ongoing, a rep for the New York City Fire Department told Page Six on Wednesday that the 911 caller said Burrell went into “cardiac arrest” and was “DOA [dead on arrival.]”
Burrell was evidently happy and healthy in the days leading up to her death — she was said to have had a “blast” at an improv show on Monday at The Second City New York in Brooklyn.
“Everyone said she was so great last night and so happy,” a source told People on Wednesday.
A separate source told the outlet that the TV personality “was in great spirits last night during and after the improv show. Typical fun, outgoing Anne, having a blast.”
And in her final photo, shared to Instagram on June 12, Burrell appeared vibrant while posing for a selfie with local icon The Green Lady of Brooklyn.
Following her death, the star’s family remembered her as a “beloved wife, sister, daughter, stepmother, and friend” in a statement obtained by Page Six.
“Her smile lit up every room she entered,” the statement read. “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.”
The Food Network also released 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,” the network stated.
“Our thoughts are with Anne’s family, friends and fans during this time of tremendous loss.”
Celebrity chef Rachael Ray also expressed her grief following Burrell’s untimely death.
“I can’t quite believe it — such a strong, vibrant, fearless woman, so full of life and love, could be gone so soon,” Ray wrote in an emotional Instagram tribute on Wednesday.
“Anne was a rockstar! I came to know her well through multiple seasons of Worst Cooks on Food Network, and she became so much more than a colleague.”
Ray concluded the post, “We’ve lost someone truly special.”
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