Anne Burrell isn’t exactly known for being "chill." If you’ve ever watched her on Worst Cooks in America, you know her for that spiky platinum hair, the gravelly voice, and a personality that could boil water without a stove. But for years, fans have been typing "anne burrell girlfriend" into Google, trying to figure out the woman behind the chef's coat.
People are usually looking for one of two things. They’re either digging into her past with fellow chef Koren Grieveson, or they’re confused because they didn't realize Anne’s "happily ever after" actually came with a husband named Stuart Claxton.
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Honestly, the story of her love life is way more interesting than just a tabloid headline. It involves a high-profile engagement that fizzled, a surprise "coming out" moment on the radio, and a digital-age romance that felt like a total fairytale—right up until the tragic news that hit the culinary world in mid-2025.
The Koren Grieveson Era: When "Girlfriend" Was the Keyword
Back in 2012, if you were looking for Anne Burrell’s girlfriend, the answer was Koren Grieveson. Grieveson is a James Beard Award-winning chef, and the two were a total culinary power couple.
The way they went public was kinda accidental. Ted Allen (from Chopped) was doing a radio interview and just casually mentioned that Anne was in a relationship with a woman. Instead of getting weird about it, Anne just owned it. She released a statement to the New York Post confirming she was a lesbian and had been with Koren for two years.
By New Year’s Eve 2012, they were engaged.
Fans were waiting for a massive, food-heavy wedding. It never happened. They were private—maybe too private for the Food Network gossip mill—and eventually, they just drifted apart. They never officially announced a breakup, but by 2018, the "girlfriend" era was over, and Anne was back on the market.
Meeting Stuart: The Bumble Pivot
It’s weird to think of a Food Network legend swiping on her phone, but that’s exactly what happened. In 2018, Anne met Stuart Claxton on Bumble.
He wasn't a chef. He worked in ad sales at Univision (later marketing at NextUp). For Anne, that was part of the charm. She spent her whole life around "kitchen people," and Stuart was something different. He was her "Prince Charming."
They got engaged in 2020 during the pandemic while quarantining in her hometown of Cazenovia, New York. Stuart popped the question at her mom’s house.
The wedding in 2021 was everything you’d expect from a woman who lives for the spotlight. She arrived in a horse-drawn carriage. Rachael Ray was one of her bridesmaids. She wore Carolina Herrera. It was a massive, fall-themed celebration that seemed to prove that, even at 52, you could find the "one."
Why the Search Term Still Lingers
You might be wondering why people still search for "anne burrell girlfriend" if she was married to a man for the last few years of her life.
It’s mostly because Anne’s identity as a queer woman remained a huge part of her public persona. She was a trailblazer. In a male-dominated industry where being "out" wasn't always easy, she just stood her ground. People who followed her early career still associate her with that initial, brave "coming out" moment.
Plus, the internet has a long memory. Old articles about her engagement to Koren Grieveson still rank high, leading people to believe they’re still together or that she’s currently dating a woman.
The Tragic Turn in 2025
Everything changed on June 17, 2025.
The news broke that Anne Burrell had passed away at the age of 55. It was a total shock to the system for Food Network fans. She was found in her Brooklyn home, and later reports from the New York City Medical Examiner confirmed it was a suicide caused by acute intoxication.
It was a devastating end for a woman who seemed so full of life and "spark." Her family’s statement described her as a "beloved wife, sister, daughter, [and] stepmother." That last part—stepmother—referred to Stuart’s son, Javier, whom Anne had embraced as her own.
Stuart was reportedly in "total shock." They had just celebrated their third wedding anniversary a few months prior.
Understanding the Legacy
When you look into Anne Burrell’s relationships, you aren't just looking at a dating history. You’re looking at the life of a woman who refused to be put in a box.
- She was a lesbian who fell in love with a man later in life.
- She was a career-driven chef who became a devoted stepmom.
- She was a tough-as-nails mentor who had a "fairytale" wedding.
The complexity of her life is what made her so relatable. She didn't follow a script. She lived loudly, loved whoever she wanted, and didn't apologize for it.
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If you're looking for information on her current status, it's a somber one. She is no longer with us, but the impact she made on the culinary world and the LGBTQ+ community is pretty much permanent.
Next Steps for Fans:
If you want to honor her memory, the best thing to do is cook. Grab her cookbook Cook Like a Rock Star and make a mess in the kitchen. She always said "brown food tastes good," so get a good sear on something and think of her. If you or someone you know is struggling, reaching out to a crisis hotline or a mental health professional is the most important move you can make. The culinary world is a lot quieter without her, but her recipes are still right there in the cupboard.