Anne Burrell

Anne Burrell is a celebrity chef, television personality, and former instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education. She currently hosts her own show "Secrets of a Restaurant Chef" on the Food Network.

Burrell has been co-hosting "Worst Cooks in America" on the Food Network since 2012. She has been been a long time Food Network Personality, also appearing in "Iron Chef America" as Mario Batali’s sous chef, "The Best Thing I Ever Ate" and "Chopped All-Stars." Before her series "Secrets of a Restaurant Chef," she hosted "Chef Wanted with Anne Burrell" from 2012-2013.

Burrell's passion for food and cooking began at an early age. After obtaining an English and Communications degree from Canisius College in Buffalo, she pursued her interest in the restaurant business by enrolling in the Culinary Institute of America. Following graduation, she spent a year in Italy attending the Italian Culinary Institute for Foreigners while working at La Taverna del Lupo in Umbria and La Bottega del' 30, a one-Michelin star restaurant in Tuscany. During this year, Burrell grew to truly appreciate and understand the philosophy of Italian cuisine and culture, which left a lasting impact on her culinary point of view.

Upon her arrival in New York City, Burrell was hired as a sous chef at Felidia Restaurant, working with Lidia Bastianich. She then served as a chef at Savoy where she cooked over an open wood fire and created flavorful menus inspired by countries around the Mediterranean. Here, Anne developed her personal culinary style a real love of rustic food made with pure and simple ingredients with intense flavors.

Anne then took the opportunity to spread her culinary knowledge and passion as a teacher at the Institute of Culinary Education. After three years, Burrell went back to the restaurant business serving as the Executive Chef at Lumi Restaurant. Shortly after, she joined the Batali-Bastianich empire by accepting a job at Italian Wine Merchants. The job also included salumi production and traveling to off-site events with Mario Batali. When Mario became one of Food Network's esteemed Iron Chefs, he knew exactly who to enlist as his sous chef the talented and dynamic Anne Burrell.