Santiago Felipe/Getty Anne Burrell appeared on the March 13 episode of Tori Spelling'smisSPELLINGpodcast Burrell said she felt she had "more to do" in her life beyond her culinary and TV careers The late chef shared that she had begun taking an improv class and was "excited" about the experience Anne Burrellwas exploring new creative paths shortly before her sudden death. In a March 13 episode ofTori Spelling'smisSPELLINGpodcast, the celebrity chef addressed stepping away from her longtime Food Network gig as a mentor onWorst Cooks in America. "I can cook, yes, I can do TV, but also, what else? I've got more to do in my life, I feel like," she told Spelling. "Interestingly, I just started taking acting classes," Burrell shared. "It's like, an improv for actors class. I got there and it's like, eight people in the class. I'm the oldest one. Every other person is like, 'Oh, I have a master's in fine arts in theater.' " Spelling was encouraging, even as Burrell voiced her doubts, admitting that she was "just dipping my toe" into the artistic outlet but felt "very excited" about the experience. "I'm like, 'Okay, I've never taken an acting class. I don't know, this is new to me.' I wonder if these delightful and super-talented kids look at me and they're like, 'What's this old lady doing here?'" she said with a laugh. Daniel Zuchnik/Getty Burrell got her start on Food Network asMario Batali's sous chef onIron Chef. She appeared on many other programs on the network, but was a mainstay onWorst Cooks. The New York native served as a mentor on the cooking competition show for 27 seasons, from 2010 to 2024. Each season, Burrell mentored the Blue Team, while another famous chef — names likeBobby Flay,Rachael Ray,Tyler Florence,Alex Guarnaschelliand more— captained the opposing Red Team. The goal was to put their group of "worst cooks in America" through culinary boot camp, with one team ultimately winning the final challenge: cooking a restaurant-quality, three-course meal for three professional food critics. Burrell's team won 15 of her 27 seasons. However, for the most recent season, which aired from January to February of 2025, Burrell stepped away from the show, andAntonia Lofasotook the reins for the Blue Team. Burrell kept things vague when Spelling asked about a possibleWorst Cooksreturn in the future, noting that she was exploring new possibilities. "I've got a few other things that I'm working on as well, which I'm not quite ready to share yet," she said. "Hopefully, exciting things [are] coming." On the podcast, Burrell also opened up about meeting husbandStuart Claxtonon Bumble after deciding to finally try out dating apps in her late 40s. "From when I was a kid, I don't know why, but I always was like, I am not getting married until I feel like I have something in life to share — until I have accomplished stuff," she said of finding love later in life. In her 20s and 30s, she said, "I was living my best life! I was like, living the rock star chef life. I was working a lot, and I had a great social life. But I just started to feel like, all right, you're getting a little old to keep on doing this." She and Claxton tied the knot on Oct. 16, 2021, and she became a stepmother to his 22-year-old son, Javier. "Kids were never on my radar, really," the chef admitted. "I love being an aunt. I have nieces and nephews. So I'm like, [being a stepmom] is the perfect amount of parenting for me." Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Burrell diedon the morning of Tuesday, June 17, at her home in Brooklyn, N.Y. She was 55. She is survived by Claxton and Javier, as well as her mother, Marlene, and sister, Jane, plus Jane's children Isabella, Amelia and Nicolas and her brother, Ben. "Anne was a beloved wife, sister, daughter, stepmother, and friend — her smile lit up every room she entered," her family said in a statement. "Anne's light radiated far beyond those she knew, touching millions across the world. Though she is no longer with us, her warmth, spirit, and boundless love remain eternal." Read the original article onPeople