The NYC Restaurant Where Anne Burrell Discovered Her Culinary Style

The culinary world is saddened to report that famed chef Anne Burrell, known by many as the star of multiple cooking programs such as "Worst Cooks in America," has died. The spirited and exuberant chef, often recognized by her signature blonde spiky hair, died in her Brooklyn, New York, home on June 17 at the age of 55. She graced the gastronomic landscape for years with robust Mediterranean flavors, which she mastered as she cut her teeth in the iconic New York City restaurant, Savoy.

Influenced by her mother's dishes at home and the ever-beloved Julia Child, with whom Burrell shared an affinity for In-N-Out, Burrell set out to make a name for herself in the culinary world by attending the prestigious Culinary Institute of America before visiting Italy to learn more about classic Italian cuisine. Upon returning to the States, she initially found herself working as a sous chef for television icon Joe Bastianich's mother, Lidia, at Felidia. She then began mastering the art of Mediterranean cooking at the famous Savoy. NYC is teeming with Michelin-starred restaurants that Burrell could have chosen to sharpen her skills, but it was the open-fire cooking at Savoy that allowed her to develop her love and talent for upscale, rustic Italian cuisine.

While Anne Burrell initially made a name for herself working at New York City's Savoy, she is likely best recognized for her presence on television. From "Secrets of a Restaurant Chef" to "Chef Wanted," audiences got to know her bold personality which was emblematic of a native New Yorker. It wasn't until 2011 that Burrell finally released her first cookbook, "Cook Like a Rockstar," which was quickly met with widespread acclaim, becoming a New York Times best seller. She continued to inspire home cooks with her follow-up book in 2013, "Own Your Kitchen."

Still, she was more than just another TV personality. Burrell was actively engaged in charitable works like the Garden of Dreams Foundation, which provides networking and educational opportunities to youth, and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Burrell is survived by her husband of nearly four years, Stuart Claxon, and his son, Javier.