CIA Alumni Bio
With her trademark spiky blond hair and pumped-up personality, Anne Burrell eliminates the intimidation of restaurant dishes and reveals concise, easy-to-master techniques for the at-home cook on her Food Network series, Secrets of a Restaurant Chef. Chef Burrell has also worked at some of the top restaurants in New York, studied the culinary landscape and traditions of Italy, and battled on Food Network’s Iron Chef America.
From New York to Italy
Growing up in upstate New York, Chef Burrell developed a passion for food and cooking at an early age. After obtaining an English and Communications degree from Canisius College in Buffalo, NY, she pursued her interest in the restaurant business by enrolling at the Culinary Institute of America. “I loved every minute of being a student at the Culinary Institute of America,” she says. “I couldn’t learn enough, couldn’t do enough, couldn’t work hard enough.” Following graduation, Chef Burrell 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 her time in Italy, she grew to truly appreciate and understand the philosophy of Italian cuisine and culture, which left a lasting impact on her culinary point of view.
Kitchens and Cookbooks
Upon her arrival in New York City, Chef Burrell was hired as a sous chef at Felidia, 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, she developed her personal culinary style—a real love of rustic food made with pure and simple ingredients that have intense flavors. Chef Burrell was the executive chef at Lumi and, shortly thereafter, she became the special events chef at the Italian Wine Merchants. In 2007, Chef Burrell was the executive chef at Centro Vinoteca in New York. She has authored two cookbooks: Cook Like a Rock Star and Own Your Kitchen: Recipes to Inspire & Empower.
Food Television
Chef Burrell has gone on to co-host Worst Cooks in America with Tyler Florence, Chefs Wanted with Anne Burrell, and starred in Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs. She has been a guest judge on Beat Bobby Flay and appeared on The Rachael Ray Show. In 2015, Chef Burrell won the fourth installment of the Chopped All-Stars Tournament winning $75,000 for the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation.
On April 25, 2018, Anne Burrell was honored at CIA’s annual Leadership Awards event with an Augie Award®—given to those who exemplify CIA’s values of leadership, creativity, and depth of knowledge.
Chef Anne Burrell majored in culinary arts at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. She is a chef, author, and media personality in New York City.