Andrew Zimmern Tearfully Reflects on ‘Trailblazer’ Anne Burrell’s Life & Death

The news of Anne Burrell’s death on Tuesday, June 17, left many feeling shocked and saddened. She was 55. Her work in the food industry and the exceptional person that she was has resulted in tributes from esteemed colleagues, loved ones, and fans.

Chef Andrew Zimmern recently reflected on the impact she had on not only his life but also on the chef community as a whole in a heartfelt and emotional speech.

Andrew Zimmern Makes Emotional Speech About His Dear Friend Anne Burrell

Addressing the crowd at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, Colorado, on June 19, Zimmern gave a 5-minute speech about his dear friend. “Tuesday morning, we all woke up to the shocking news that Anne had passed away in the early hours of that day. Years ago, right before our gathering here in Aspen, we lost Tony Bourdain. Several years later, Michael Chiarello. Last year, Jamal James Kent. And this week, we lost Anne,” he said, Parade reports.

Zimmern discussed how Burrell’s sudden passing resulted in people feeling “very hurt and very confused.” He praised her talents and warmth. “Anne was such a beautiful soul. A woman whose immense talent was only surpassed by the full throttle of her incredible laugh, one that I was never tired of hearing,” he said. Zimmern also used words like “trailblazer” to describe Burrell and called her someone with a “tremendous capacity for love.”

Zimmern ended his emotional speech by reflecting on the good times, telling the crowd how she would have wanted them to be enjoying themselves at the event. “Anne would want us to be laughing. To hunt down some late night karaoke, to dance it belly up, to eat and drink and celebrate life this weekend,” he said. “And while taken from us long before we would ever want to let her go, she is gone.”

Andrew Zimmern Wants Anne Burrell To Be Remembered as ‘Happy & Laughing’

Zimmern’s speech at the Food & Wine Classic event is not the only time he has discussed Burrell and the impact her passing has had on him. In an Instagram post on June 18, the chef posted a photo on Instagram of himself and Burrell. She is laughing and looks to be incredibly happy in the moment.

“How I choose to remember people. Happy and laughing and believing that anything in life is possible,” Zimmern captioned the photo. “Sending all our love to her family, friends, and fans. An unnecessary loss is just the hardest to handle and this one really hurts. Nothing but love for all right now, especially Anne.”

Fans reacted to Zimmern’s post with messages of love and support. Many also shared their emotional tributes about what the late Food Network star meant to them.