Chef Duff Goldman is honoring the late Anne Burrell.
The pastry chef, 50, penned a touching tribute to the cook dinner after she was discovered useless at her house on Tuesday at age 55.
“I’ve written and re-written this post so many times in the past 24 hours and I just don’t know what to say. Anne and I became friends in probably 2006,” Goldman wrote by way of Instagram on Thursday.
“She was going through some stuff and I had heard that she was feeling it so on a trip to NYC from Baltimore I had made her a cake that said ‘Don’t let the bastards win.’ She never did.”
Regardless of their friendship having its ups and downs since assembly within the mid-2000s, the TV character all the time wished his fellow kitchen connoisseur effectively.
“We had a complex relationship and I remember the last conversation we had before our paths drifted was a pretty feisty debate about the merits of catfish. I believe the words “trash fish,” “tastes like mud,” and “cake boy” had been used, haha,” Goldman continued. “Anne and I always had a spirited and somewhat acerbic back and forth. I really never knew why our paths drifted but I always hoped that wherever she was, Anne was doing well and was finding some happiness.”
The pair bumped into each other a number of years again in New York Metropolis and had an opportunity to talk.
Though Goldman didn’t disclose what he and Burrell talked about, he did write that “that conversation left my heart lifted and full of light, for it truly seemed to me that Anne really had found a measure of happiness and love. Life is tough, and we have to be tough to get through it.”
Goldman added, “Anne was as tough as they come, but when you got past the armor there was a depth of compassion and kindness that was absolutely beautiful. My heart sings when I think of the love and tranquility that it seems Anne had found recently.”
Burrell tied the knot with Stuart Claxton in 2021 and stepped away from internet hosting “Worst Cooks in America” in 2024 after 14 seasons on air. The TV star continued to share glimpses into her private life on social media over time and in addition began doing improv in New York Metropolis.
Goldman concluded his heartfelt submit, “Anne, wherever you are I hope they have slow moving rivers because when I get there, we’ll get a couple of rods, a pint of chicken livers, and a sixer and I’ll teach you how to catch and cook the best catfish you ever had. Rest up, chef.”
A lot of Burrell’s fellow cooks shared their condolences after information of her passing broke Tuesday.
Her “Worst Cooks” co-host Beau MacMillan, who starred alongside Burrell on the present’s first season, instructed The Put up Wednesday, “The news hit me like a gut punch.”
The fact star, 54, famous, “Anne was bigger than life, whether she was running a kitchen or filming a show, you knew she was in charge.”
In the meantime, Rachael Ray, who served as a bridesmaid in Burrell’s wedding ceremony, took to social media to disclose her devastation over the information.
“The news about Anne has truly shaken us. John and I are heartbroken,” the 56-year-old wrote on Wednesday. “I can’t quite believe it — such a strong, vibrant, fearless woman, so full of life and love, could be gone so soon.”
“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.”
Bobby Flay, for his half, broke his silence on Thursday, writing: “‘Worst Cooks in America’ was the funnest show on TV. All of your co-hosts (me included) were just alongside for the Anne Burrell ride.”
The restaurateur, 60, expressed that “the greatest gift I got from AB was turning me on to a world of Maine Coon Cats (including Nacho)… a gift that I’ll have forever.”
Flay, whose cat is Nacho, included a photograph of Burrell holding two Calico Maine Coon cats.
On Tuesday, Burrell was discovered unresponsive within the bathe by Claxton at their house in Brooklyn, New York. Officers shared that EMS “responded and pronounced her deceased on scene,” sharing that the 911 name was initially for a reported cardiac arrest.
On Thursday, sources instructed The Put up that Burrell’s physique was discovered subsequent to dozens of capsules. Her dying remains to be an ongoing investigation.
Burrell’s household confirmed the information in a press release to Individuals on Tuesday.
“Anne was a beloved wife, sister, daughter, stepmother, and friend — her smile lit up every room she entered,” they shared. “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.”
Shortly after, a consultant from Meals Community shared with The Put up: “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.”
