Food Network chef Anne Burrell, 55, was found dead at her home in Brooklyn, New York, on Tuesday. Her death is being investigated as a possible overdose or heart attack, reports say.
Ms. Burrell was seen on Food Network shows such as “Iron Chef America,” “Secrets of a Restaurant Chef,” and “Worst Cooks in America.”
A New York City Fire Department spokesperson told the New York Post that a 911 caller claimed the TV chef suffered a cardiac arrest. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to an internal New York City Police Department document cited by The New York Times, first responders found Ms. Burrell in the shower unresponsive and surrounded by around 100 pills of differing varieties.
Unnamed law enforcement sources told TMZ that Ms. Burrell’s husband, Stuart Claxton, had last seen her seven to eight hours before he found her unconscious in the shower. He was the one who called 911, according to TMZ.
A spokesperson for the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner told the NYT on Friday that Ms. Burrell’s autopsy was complete but that the findings on what caused her death were still pending.
A memorial service for Ms. Burrell was held Friday. Others offered tributes to her on social media and elsewhere.
Food Network wrote on social media that “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.”
Ms. Burrell’s family said in a statement to “Deadline” that “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.”
