Anne Burrell's Final Texts Revealed After Sudden Death: 'It Was Just So Sweet'

The culinary world is reeling after the sudden death of TV chef Anne Burrell, who was found unresponsive in her Brooklyn apartment on June 17.

At just 55, Burrell's passing has stunned fans and friends alike, especially one fellow chef who had just reconnected with her days before her tragic death.

Burrell's unexpected death has left many in disbelief, including her longtime friend and fellow chef, Elizabeth Falkner.

In a chat with the Daily Mail, Falkner shared how the pair had recently reconnected, making the loss feel even more personal.

"I think Anne looks like she's in pretty decent shape these days, so it's kind of surprising to me," Falkner said, recalling their dinner together on June 9 at Soho House in New York. "It's just really so sudden and shocking."

The New York Fire Department responded to a report of cardiac arrest at Burrell's apartment.

While the Chief Medical Examiner is still determining the cause of death, those who saw her days before said there were no visible warning signs.

The last time Falkner saw her friend was just over a week before her passing, at an intimate dinner party Falkner hosted.

"I said, 'Come to my dinner at Soho House, it'll be great to see you.' And she brought her husband, and we just had such a good time," she recalled. "It was just so sweet."

Burrell followed up the next day with a heartfelt message. "She's like, 'Thanks so much for inviting us. It was a truly lovely time and very delicious. Please send me some pics so I can post.'"

The evening left a strong impression on both women, who agreed to stay in closer touch going forward.

"We were like, 'Let's just make a point of talking and texting more often,'" Falkner added. "I'm very grateful to have had that special night. I feel like [our friendship] just got cut really short fast."

Falkner shared that Burrell seemed to be enjoying life beyond the pressures of television and fine dining. "She just seemed to be in such a good place," she said.

"She said that she was very much enjoying being a stepmother," Falkner revealed, referring to Burrell's 20-year-old stepson, Javier. "And her husband's so sweet."

Balancing life as a chef and TV personality is no easy feat, but Falkner believed her friend had found peace.

"Because being a chef and being a television personality is two major full-time jobs, but enjoying your life outside of that can be challenging. And I think she was definitely enjoying her life outside of that whole world of the networks and all that stuff."

The culinary world is mourning one of its own.

"I know it is very personal to me what happened, and I can't believe somebody even younger than me has just passed away," Falkner said. "It's close to home for all of us. The culinary family is like family, so this hurts a lot of us. We just all feel it."

Anne Burrell and Falkner had known each other for years, with occasional run-ins at events and parties, including one memorable moment in Rome in 2021 before Burrell married her husband, Stuart Claxton.

Falkner remembered her late friend as both a powerful presence and a warm spirit: "She's one of those people that's kind of intimidating and certainly hardcore as chefs can be… but she was definitely very sweet."

In addition to her revelations in the interview, Falkner also paid tribute to Anne Burrell on Instagram. She shared a photo of them posing with smiles while rocking similar outfits and hairstyles.

In the post's caption, Falkner wrote, "I know we're all in shock to hear about our friend @chefanneburrell. I just reconnected with Anne last week when I was in NYC, and we were saying, let's just make a point of talking more often and getting together when we can."

She continued, "It's always so strange to post things on Instagram like this, but I just want to say that I always admired her and her cooking. We hung out back in the OG days late nights in NY here and there."

Falkner described Burrell as a "fierce and fun culinary competitor," adding, "When we did Next Iron Chef together years ago, we were competitive, but we had fun too. Especially one night when we went karaoke singing in Santa Monica."

She also wrote, "And it was so good to see her last week and I feel blessed that she came to my dinner and she thanked me profusely for inviting her. We made a vow to be even better friends."

Falkner concluded, "You will seriously be missed, Chef. "