Remembering Anne Burrell: Food Network Pays Tribute with Final Season of Worst Cooks in America and Special Programming

Food Network is paying tribute to one of its most celebrated personalities, Anne Burrell, who passed away on June 17 at the age of 55. The gourmet-focused TV station announced on Monday that the final season of Worst Cooks in America, in which Burrell served as a mentor for 27 seasons, will premiere on July 28.

The season, titled Worst Cooks in America: Talented and Terrible, will see Burrell face off against a new boot camp mentor, Italian chef Gabe Bertaccini, to help guide some truly terrible amateur cooks into budding gourmands. In addition to the special season of Worst Cooks in America, Food Network will dedicate an evening of curated programming to Burrell, showcasing some of her finest moments across her two decades on TV.

An episode of Guy Fieri's Guy's Grocery Games featuring Burrell and chefs Eric Greenspan, Jet Tila, and Marcel Vigneron will kick off the special series on June 25 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Two more specials will follow - a 15-part countdown compilation of Worst Cooks in America: Worst of the Worst, and a behind-the-scenes deep dive into Worst Cooks in America: Boot Camp Diaries.

Warner Bros. Discovery's Head of Food Content, Betsy Ayala, shared in a statement accompanying the announcement, "Anne Burrell was a one-of-a-kind talent whose loss is being deeply felt by family, friends, and fans. With these special programming events, we hope to honor Anne and celebrate her impact on Food Network and beyond, and to offer fans a way to remember her passion and culinary prowess that ran through everything she did."

Police found Burrell unconscious and unresponsive in her Brooklyn home in the early hours of June 17. Emergency medical services later pronounced her dead on the scene. The Office of New York's Chief Medical Examiner has not yet released an autopsy report, which means Burrell's cause of death is still unknown.

Burrell was a beloved wife, sister, daughter, stepmother, and friend - her smile lit up every room she entered. "Anne's light radiated far beyond those she knew, touching millions across the world," her family shared in a statement to Entertainment Weekly. "Though she is no longer with us, her warmth, spirit, and boundless love remain eternal."

After training in Asti, Italy, Burrell became a chef at renowned New York City restaurants Felidia and Savoy. She was later tapped by Mario Batali to work as a chef for Italian Wine Merchants and was appointed his sous chef on Iron Chef America in 2005. Burrell went on to host her own series Secrets of a Restaurant Chef for nine seasons and anchor Worst Cooks in America for an impressive 27 seasons. She also participated as a competitor, mentor, and judge on various Food Network shows such as Beat Bobby Flay and The Next Iron Chef.

Food Network's special block of programming honoring Burrell kicks off on Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET/PT, and Worst Cooks in America season 29 premieres on July 28 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.