As tributes continue to pour in following the sudden and heartbreaking passing of Anne Burrell at the age of 55, one voice has struck a particularly emotional chord: Duff Goldman, fellow chef and beloved TV personality, who today shared his memories of their final conversation and the friendship that quietly shaped so much of his journey.
“Anne was a force,” Duff began in a post shared to his personal social channels. “But more than that — she was a friend. A real one. The kind that checks on you at midnight and makes you laugh even when the world feels heavy.”
Goldman, known for his whimsical cake artistry and easygoing charm, first met Burrell on the Food Network circuit in the early 2000s. From the moment they crossed paths, he said, there was instant respect — and mischief.
“She had that sparkle,” Duff recalled. “You never quite knew what she was going to say — but you always knew it would be true.”
In his heartfelt tribute, Duff revealed that the two had shared a phone call just weeks before her passing. It was, as he put it, “one of those check-in conversations that felt ordinary at the time — but now feels like a gift.”
“We talked about how fast life moves,” he said. “About slowing down, being present, loving big. She said she felt tired lately — but also grateful. So, so grateful.”
Duff also shared that Anne had mentioned plans for a small retreat in upstate New York, where she hoped to eventually open a tiny teaching kitchen for kids and teens.
“She said, ‘I just want to feed people — in every way,’” he recalled. “That was Anne. Always thinking about the next way she could make someone feel loved.”
While the cause of Anne’s passing has not been publicly confirmed, her loved ones have asked for privacy and prayers — and for her fans to honor her by continuing to do what she loved most: cook, laugh, and live boldly.
As for Duff, the loss is personal. But he says he’ll remember her not with sorrow — but with celebration.
“She showed me that being loud, wild, and authentic wasn’t something to be tamed,” he said. “It was something to be proud of. And I’ll carry that with me forever.”