Anne Burrell cause of death has been revealed five weeks after the celebrity chef died at 55.
Burrell died by suicide, PEOPLE can confirm. Her cause of death is specified as “acute intoxication due to the combined effects of diphenhydramine, ethanol, cetirizine, and amphetamine,” and was determined by the New York City medical examiner’s office. Diphenhydramine and cetirizine are antihistamines, ethanol is a compound found in alcohol and amphetamine is commonly used to treat ADHD.
Her family declined PEOPLE’s request to comment.
Reps for the star announced Burrell’s death in a release obtained by PEOPLE on Tuesday, June 17.
“Anne was a beloved wife, sister, daughter, stepmother, and friend — her smile lit up every room she entered,” her family said in a statement.
The statement continued, “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 star was “discovered in the shower unconscious and unresponsive surrounded by approximately (100) assorted pills,” The New York Times reported Friday, June 20, citing an internal New York Police Department document viewed by the outlet.
A spokesperson for the NYPD told PEOPLE on June 18, the day after Burrell’s death, that the Worst Cooks in America host was found “unconscious and unresponsive” at the scene. EMS “responded and pronounced her deceased on scene,” police said.
According to a 911 call report provided to PEOPLE by the New York City Fire Department, a person called in at 7:50 a.m. local time, concerned that she had suffered cardiac arrest.
A fan-favorite on the Food Network, Burrell was best known as the longtime host of Worst Cooks in America, where her passion for food and mentorship turned disastrous kitchen hopefuls into capable cooks.
Born on Sept. 21, 1969, in Cazenovia, New York, Burrell discovered her love for cooking early, inspired by her mother’s home-cooked meals and television icon, Julia Child.
She studied English and Communication at Canisius College in Buffalo before pursuing a culinary career at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, where she graduated in 1996. In the early 2000s, Burrell transitioned into teaching at the Institute of Culinary Education and eventually made her way to television.
Food Network audiences first met Burrell as a sous chef on Iron Chef America. Her charisma and culinary chops led to her own Emmy-nominated show, Secrets of a Restaurant Chef, which premiered in 2008 and ran for nine seasons.
From there, Burrell became Food Network staple, also appearing on Chef Wanted, Chopped, Food Network Star, and most recently, the competition series House of Knives, which just premiered in March 2025.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Burrell authored two cookbooks: 2011’s Cook Like a Rock Star, which made her a New York Times bestseller, and Own Your Kitchen: Recipes to Inspire and Empower in 2013.
Burrell and husband Stuart Claxton met on Bumble in 2018 before getting married three years later on Oct. 16, 2021.
The night before she died, on June 16, Burrell closed out her Second City “Improv for Actors” course with a final performance in Brooklyn.
“She was having the best night,” actress Jane Margolis, a member of Burrell’s improv troupe, told PEOPLE in the July 7 issue. “She’d come up with these one-liners out of the blue that were just hysterical. She really was so into it.”
She is survived by Claxton and his son, Javier, as well as her mother, Marlene, and sister, Jane, her children Isabella, Amelia and Nicolas, and her brother Ben.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, substance use problems, or just needs to talk, call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org 24/7.
Read the original article on People
The post Anne Burrell’s Cause of Death Ruled a Suicide 5 Weeks After Food Network Star Died at 55 appeared first on People.
