Melba Wilson Recalls Final Conversation with Anne Burrell Before Her Death at 55

Celebrity chef and Food Network star Melba Wilson opened up about her relationship with Anne Burrell and the final conversation they had just a week before the beloved chef’s sudden death.

Burrell, famous for starring in Food Network shows such as Worst Cooks in America, died at the age of 55 on Tuesday, June 17.

According to a report of the 911 call shared with PEOPLE by the New York City Fire Department, she was thought to have suffered cardiac arrest. Burrell was found dead by emergency responders in her Brooklyn, N.Y. home.

Wilson, a restaurateur who owns Melba’s in New York City, reflected on the “devastating” loss of her close friend during an interview with TMZ on Wednesday, June 18.

“I think this is a tough time for so many of us that knew Anne and that loved her,” she said, adding that it was “totally unexpected.”

The friends were in touch in the week before Burrell died, and they wre together at Wilson’s birthday party a few weeks before that. “Anne was fine,” Wilson said. “We talked about karaoke because we love to do karaoke.”

She recalled Burrell as someone who “loved games,” particularly backgammon, and who “loved to dance.”

“If you saw Anne, Anne could light up any room she walked into. So to know that she went to sleep and just didn’t wake up is heartbreaking. Fifty five, this is not supposed to happen to a healthy 55-year-old,” Wilson mourned, saying “It’s unbelievable to know that someone so vibrant and full of life is no longer with us.”

Asked about Burrell’s health, Wilson said that she didn’t know anything about her friend battling an illness behind the scenes.

“Anne never mentioned anything about being sick,” she said. “That’s why this is such a shock to us. She was healthy. She was vibrant. She was beautiful.”

Wilson traced her friendship with Burrell back to an appearance on Beat Bobby Flay, where they crossed paths. When they met, Burrell told Wilson that she was a fan of her restaurant.

“She walked up to me and said, ‘If there’s ever anything I can do…’ ” she shared, adding, “And a friendship was born.”

According to Wilson, that is reflective of Burrell’s legacy and character.

“Her legacy is laughter. Anne always laughed,” she said. “She was a fierce competitor. The food and beverage industry is full of men, and Anne would go toe-to-toe with the best of them. She always wanted to win. She was always very loving. She was always very giving.”

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For an example, Wilson recalled how Burrell helped her give away hundreds of turkeys to New Yorkers ahead of Thanksgiving 2024.

“She got there before I got there, actually, and got on the bus. She got on the New York City bus and gave out turkeys. That’s the spirit of Chef Anne Burrell. She’s a huge giver, and anytime you called her, she was there.”

“She’s definitely going to be missed. I already miss her. It’s a hard one. It’s unexpected,” Wilson tearfully concluded.