Rachael Ray is mourning the loss of her close friend, Anne Burrell.
The cookbook author, 56, has spoken out for the first time after it was revealed that the world-renowned chef host died on Tuesday at age 55.
“The news about Anne has truly shaken us. John and I are heartbroken,” Ray wrote on Instagram Wednesday beneath a slew of photos of the pair. “I can’t quite believe it — such a strong, vibrant, fearless woman, so full of life and love, could be gone so soon.”
She added, “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.”
Their bond went far beyond the kitchen, as Ray also served as a bridesmaid in Burrell’s 2021 wedding to husband Stuart Claxton.
“Anne honored me by asking me to be her bridesmaid, something I’d only done once before for my sister. Despite being surrounded by incredible chefs, she never once made me feel self-conscious about not being one — she always treated me as one of the gang,” Ray continued.
The television personality went on to detail their time together while hosting “Worst Cooks in America,” sharing that “we had the most incredible laughs.”
“She even cooked for me and my guests at my wedding anniversary in Italy.”
More to come…
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
