Rachael Ray is “shaken” by the sudden death of her friend and fellow chef Anne Burrell.
“I can’t quite believe it — such a strong, vibrant, fearless woman, so full of life and love, could be gone so soon,” she shared in a touching Instagram tribute to the late star on Wednesday, adding that she and husband John [Cusimano] are “heartbroken.”
“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 continued, joining the list of Food Network stars who honored Burrell with heartfelt messages following her shocking passing.
Sharing a collection of photos showing Burrell and Ray alongside each other, the “Rachael Ray Show” host recalled how Burrell “honored” her by asking the star to be her bridesmaid in her 2021 wedding to Stuart Claxton.
“Despite being surrounded by incredible chefs, she never once made me feel self-conscious about not being one — she always treated me as one of the gang.”
Ray added: “When we hosted ‘Worst Cooks’ together, we had the most incredible laughs. She even cooked for me and my guests at my wedding anniversary in Italy.”
The cookbook author, 56, also praised Burrell’s “great taste in music and in life” as she saluted her as a “force in the kitchen, in any room, in every life she touched.”
“I’ll miss her friendship deeply. Everyone whose life she touched will miss her. Sending love to Stuart and everyone who knew and loved Anne. We’ve lost someone truly special,” Ray closed.
The famed chef was pronounced dead on Tuesday after she was found unconscious at her Brooklyn, NY, home that morning. She was 55.
Burrell’s cause of death hasn’t been revealed, and an investigation is ongoing. Though, a New York Fire Department spokesperson told Page Six on Wednesday that a 911 call revealed the chef went into “cardiac arrest” and was “DOA [dead on arrival].”
She is survived by her husband and his son, Javier.
The Food Network host was remembered by her loved ones as a “beloved wife, sister, daughter, stepmother, and friend.”
“Her smile lit up every room she entered,” the family shared in a statement obtained by Page Six.
“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.”
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