Who is Chef Anne Burrell married to? What really happened with her marriage to Stuart Claxton

Honestly, if you've ever spent a Sunday afternoon watching Worst Cooks in America, you know Anne Burrell. She was that spark of platinum-blonde energy, the one telling us that "brown food tastes good" while somehow managing to turn kitchen disasters into actual meals. But while her professional life was all about high-stakes cooking and spiky hair, her personal life took a much more traditional, almost fairytale turn later in life.

So, let's get into it. Who is chef Anne Burrell married to? Anne Burrell was married to Stuart Claxton, a marketing executive. They tied the knot in 2021, and honestly, the story of how they met is about as relatable as it gets: they found each other on Bumble. It wasn't some high-profile industry mixer or a fancy Hamptons party. It was just two people in their 40s and 50s swiping on an app in 2018, hoping for a connection.

The Bumble beginning and a pandemic proposal

Anne was 48 when she met Stuart. She's been pretty open about the fact that she didn't want to get married until she felt like she'd really "accomplished stuff" on her own first. She lived that rockstar chef life in New York for decades, focusing on her craft and her career. Before Stuart, she was famously engaged to fellow chef Koren Grieveson back in 2012, but that relationship eventually ended quietly.

When she met Stuart, things just clicked. He wasn't in the food world—he was a marketing pro, eventually becoming the Vice President of Marketing and Communications at NextUp.

Then came 2020. The world shut down, and like a lot of couples, Anne and Stuart found themselves in a pressure cooker of a different kind: quarantine. They spent that time at Anne’s mother’s house in Cazenovia, New York. In April 2020, Stuart decided it was time. He worked with Anne's mom, Marlene, to set up a "date night" table in the apartment.

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While they were talking about family and the music they’d want at a wedding, Stuart pulled a ring out of his pocket. It was simple, intimate, and basically perfect for a woman who spent her life in the spotlight.

A "Fairytale" wedding in Cazenovia

The wedding itself happened on October 16, 2021. They went back to Anne's hometown of Cazenovia, specifically to a place called Windridge Estate Redbarn 20.

It was anything but a quiet affair. Anne arrived in a horse-drawn carriage—something she joked about with People magazine, saying she didn't care about the "cheese factor" because it was her moment. She wore a stunning Carolina Herrera gown, the very first one she tried on.

The guest list was a Food Network "who's who." You had Alex Guarnaschelli, Marc Murphy, and Jeff Mauro in the pews. Even Jenni "JWoww" Farley from Jersey Shore (who was a contestant on Worst Cooks) was there. One of the most touching details? Her close friend Rachael Ray served as one of her bridesmaids.

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The food, as you can imagine, was a whole thing. Anne basically drove the caterers nuts because, well, she’s Anne Burrell. They served:

• Goat cheese and butternut squash ravioli
• Braised short ribs with celery root puree
• Herb and potato crusted halibut
• A six-tier cake from "Cake Boss" Buddy Valastro (flavors included zucchini and olive oil-lemon-rosemary)

Stuart’s son from a previous marriage, Javier, served as the best man. Anne took to being a stepmom with a lot of joy, often posting about "the Claxtons" attending New York Rangers games or traveling together.

The tragic turn in 2025

Life in their Brooklyn apartment seemed happy. They renovated it together, dealt with their two cats, Marcia and Nancy, and Anne often called Stuart her "Prince Charming."

However, the story of their marriage has a heartbreaking end. In June 2025, the culinary world was shocked when Anne Burrell passed away at the age of 55. She was found in her Brooklyn home on the morning of June 17, 2025.

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Her death was eventually ruled a suicide, caused by a combination of substances including diphenhydramine and amphetamine. It was a sudden, devastating blow to Stuart and Javier. In the months following, friends like Rachael Ray and Alex Guarnaschelli shared how much Anne loved her family and how "fiercely" she protected those close to her.

Why her story matters now

Looking back at who Anne Burrell was married to gives us a glimpse of the woman behind the "rockstar" persona. She found a deep, stable love later in life and embraced the role of a wife and stepmother with the same intensity she brought to a professional kitchen.

If you're looking to honor her legacy or just learn from her journey, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Love doesn't have a timeline. Anne didn't marry until she was 52. She proved that you can build a massive career and still find a "fairytale" later on.
• Support systems are everything. Even those who seem the strongest—the "vibrant, fearless" mentors we see on TV—are often carrying things we don't see.
• Cherish the "everyday." Some of Anne's happiest posts weren't from red carpets; they were of her and Stuart having martinis at a local Brooklyn bistro or cheering at a hockey game.

While the Food Network has moved on with new mentors for Worst Cooks in America in 2026, the impact of Anne's "fairytale" with Stuart remains a significant part of her story. She left behind a husband who adored her and a legacy of showing people that, with enough heart, anyone can learn to master the kitchen—and maybe even find love in the process.

To truly appreciate the mark she left, you might want to revisit her early work on Secrets of a Restaurant Chef or her 2011 book Cook Like a Rock Star. It’s in those pages and episodes where you really see the woman Stuart Claxton fell in love with—bold, unapologetic, and completely authentic.