Chef Duff Goldman reveals ‘complex relationship' with Anne Burrell after her death at 55

New York Post

3 hours ago

Chef Duff Goldman is honoring the late Anne Burrell.
The pastry chef, 50, penned a touching tribute to the cook after she was found dead at her home 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 via 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.'
8 Duff Goldman and Anne Burrell.
duffgoldman/Instagram
Despite their friendship having its ups and downs since meeting in the mid-2000s, the TV personality always wished his fellow kitchen connoisseur well.
'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' were 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.'
8 Chef Anne Burrell.
Getty Images for NYCWFF
The pair ran into one another a few years back in New York City and had a chance to speak.
Although 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.'
8 Chef Anne Burrell attends Food Network's Food and Wine Festival.
Getty Images for NYCWFF
Burrell tied the knot with Stuart Claxton in 2021 and stepped away from hosting 'Worst Cooks in America' in 2024 after 14 seasons on air. The TV star continued to share glimpses into her personal life on social media over the years and also started doing improv in New York City.
Goldman concluded his heartfelt post, '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.'
Many of Burrell's fellow chefs shared their condolences after news of her passing broke Tuesday.
8 Chef Anne Burrell on ABC's 'Good Morning America.'
Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images
Her 'Worst Cooks' co-host Beau MacMillan, who starred alongside Burrell on the show's first season, told The Post Wednesday, 'The news hit me like a gut punch.'
The reality star, 54, noted, 'Anne was bigger than life, whether she was running a kitchen or filming a show, you knew she was in charge.'
Meanwhile, Rachael Ray, who served as a bridesmaid in Burrell's wedding, took to social media to reveal her devastation over the news.
8 Chef Anne Burrell conducts a culinary presentation on KitchenAid stage at the Grand Tasting presented by ShopRite.
Bryan Bedder
'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 part, 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.'
8 Anne Burrell the 2025 City Harvest Gala.
Getty Images for City Harvest
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 photo of Burrell holding two Calico Maine Coon cats.
On Tuesday, Burrell was found unresponsive in the shower by Claxton at their home in Brooklyn, New York. Officers shared that EMS 'responded and pronounced her deceased on scene,' sharing that the 911 call was originally for a reported cardiac arrest.
8 Anne Burrell.
Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
On Thursday, sources told The Post that Burrell's body was found next to dozens of pills. Her death is still an ongoing investigation.
Burrell's family confirmed the news in a statement to People 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.'
8 Duff Goldman, Carla Hall, Mike Curtin, and Anne Burrell attend DC Central Kitchen's Capital Food Fight at the Ronald Reagan Building on November 12, 2015.
Larry French
Shortly after, a representative from Food Network shared with The Post: '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.'