Bobby Flay remembers his late friend for more than just her cooking.
After Food Network host Anne Burrell was found dead at her New York home on June 17, Flay spoke out to share his treasured memories with the late chef.
“Worst Cooks in America was the funnest show on TV,” he wrote on his Instagram Story June 18. “All of your co-hosts (me included) were just alongside for the Anne Burrell ride.”
But the 55-year-old impacted him in ways beyond the kitchen.
“The greatest gift I got from AB,” Flay continued, “was turning me on to a world of Maine Coon Cats (including Nacho)… a gift that I’ll have forever.”
He accompanied the tribute with a smiling photo of Burrell hugging her two cats, which inspired Flay’s love for the felines.
In fact, just a day before Burrell’s passing, Flay had shared an update on his fur baby in honor of Father’s Day.
“The recipe for Made by Nacho: Take one chef, add lifelong cat obsession, simmer for decades,” he wrote on Instagram. “This is what cat-dad-since-forever looks like.”
Likewise, Burrell enjoyed sharing memories of her cats on social media, introducing the world to her pets affectionately called Nutty Nancy Crazy Pants and Lady Lorraine Periwinkle, who she welcomed after the death of her kitty Marcia last year.
“I am excited to introduce the newest member of our family!!!” Burrell wrote in October. “Please meet #ladylorraineperiwinkle !!! Lorraine is 5 months old and is settling in nicely. #nuttynancycrazypants has accepted her very well- just a little bit of hissing but I think that was just performative.”
She added, “Nancy like all of us miss our dear sweet little #marciamarciamarcia but we are happy to have a new little nutter in the house.”
Burrell later gushed that her new kitten “has been delightfully cute” and “TOTALLY cracks me up!!!”
In addition to her cats, Burrell is survived by her husband of three years, Stuart Claxton.
On June 17, police were called to an address in Brooklyn before 8:00 a.m. in response to a report about “an unconscious and unresponsive 55-year-old female.” Emergency medical services arrived and “pronounced her dead at the scene,” the NYPD said in a statement shared with NBC News.
Her cause of death has not been shared.
For more on her life with Claxton, read on.
Anne Burrell & Stuart Claxton’s Online Meet-Cute
The couple tied the knot in 2021 after connecting on the dating app Bumble in 2018.
ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty ImagesA Blended Family
Stuart is dad to one son, Javier, born in 2005, who lived with his father and Anne in their Brooklyn home.
Anne Burrell/InstagramA Glimpse into Anne & Stuart’s Romance
Anne was very open about her relationship with Stuart, sharing highlights from the pair’s date nights and birthdays. In one 2023 post, she gushed about her husband, calling him her “Prince Charming.”
“You promised me lots of love and laughter,” she added, “and have absolutely fulfilled that promise!!!”
Anne Burrell/InstagramTravel Buddies
Anne often shared highlights of her trips with Stuart, with their favorite place being Bermuda, as she wrote in a 2022 Instagram post, “My 4 favorite B’s… my boo, beach, backgammon and Bermuda!!! A perfect day.”
Anne Burrell/InstagramJammin’ Out
In a Daily Mail interview in April 2025, Anne admitted that while she isn’t much of a “jam girl” she would “occasionally” make it for Stuart. As she recalled, “I make scones and we have jam then.”
Anne Burrell/InstagramA Shared Love of Competition
Anne, a devout New York Rangers fan, often brought Stuart along to cheer on her team at Madison Square Garden, and the couple also regularly attended the U.S. Open every year.
