Rock and Bowl With Anne Burrell

By: Victoria Phillips
Anne Burrell before bowling at Lucky Strike

Anne Burrell bowled with the best of them last night at her Rock & Bowl cookbook release party at Lucky Strike in New York City. Neon-colored lanes, plush seating and an expansive bar set the backdrop, while party goers snacked on plates of bruschetta, stuffed mushrooms and polenta from Anne’s Cook Like a Rock Star.

Donning an edgy black dress with her signature spiked hair, Anne traded in her high heels for bowling shoes and a bright pink ball. Food Network stars Alex Guarnaschelli, Marc Forgione, Aarti Sequeira and Claire Robinson also joined in the fun.

Upbeat dance music pumped through the speakers while guests knocked down pins, played pool and sipped on margaritas and palomas — a mix of tequila and grapefruit juice — in the vast, luxe lounge.

Anne Burrell being interviewed by Food Network Dish

After bowling for nearly four hours, Steve Morton from Florence, Ala., was crowned the Rock & Bowl champ with a score of 158.

New to bowling, Anne practiced a few times before the big night. Her strategy was a simple one: “Like everything I do, I just have fun,” she says. Dancing around after making her spare, Anne got serious for a moment when we asked her what she enjoyed most about the night.

“All the love from the fans,” she says. “Everyone has amazing, inspiring stories. That’s the real frosting on the cake.”

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Anne Burrell Bio

With her trademark spiky blond hair and pumped-up personality, Anne Burrell has worked at some of the top restaurants in New York and studied the culinary landscape and traditions of Italy. Anne makes restaurant dishes accessible and reveals concise, easy-to-master techniques for the at-home cook on her Food Network series Secrets of a Restaurant Chef. On her show Chef Wanted, Anne helps top restaurateurs find candidates with the right experience and creativity to become executive chefs. On Worst Cooks in America, Anne joins Tyler Florence in mentoring teams of hopeless home cooks from around the country, putting them through culinary boot camp. In 2011, Anne published her first cookbook, Cook Like a Rock Star, which gives home cooks the confidence and support to be rock stars in their own kitchens. Her cookbook earned a place on the New York Times Best Seller list. In 2013, Anne released her second cookbook, Own Your Kitchen. Growing up in upstate New York, Anne developed a passion for food and cooking at an early age. After obtaining an English and communications degree from Canisius College in Buffalo, she pursued her interest in the restaurant business by enrolling in the Culinary Institute of America. Following graduation, she spent a year in Italy attending the Italian Culinary Institute for Foreigners while working at La Taverna del Lupo in Umbria and La Bottega del' 30, a Michelin one-star restaurant in Tuscany. During this year, Anne grew to truly appreciate and understand the philosophy of Italian cuisine and culture, which left a lasting impact on her culinary point of view. Upon her arrival in New York City, Anne was hired as a sous chef at Felidia, working with Lidia Bastianich. She then served as a chef at Savoy, where she cooked over an open wood fire and created flavorful menus inspired by Mediterranean countries. Here Anne developed her personal culinary style: rustic food made with pure and simple ingredients with intense flavors. Anne then took the opportunity to spread her culinary knowledge and passion as a teacher at the Institute of Culinary Education. After three years, Anne went back to the restaurant business, serving as the executive chef at Lumi. As the executive chef at New York hot spot Centro Vinoteca from its opening in July 2007 through September 2008, Anne served up her "creative-authentic" Italian menu of small plates (piccolini), antipasti, pastas and main courses accented by her trademark bold, pure flavors.

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