Anne Burrell and the Vast Reach of the TV Chef

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For the many Americans who know Anne Burrell’s name, their first exposure to her likely came during an episode of Iron Chef America, where she toiled away as an assistant to one of the “real” Iron Chefs, Mario Batali. Whether intentional or not, this setup sent a signal to viewers who might not otherwise be familiar with the inner workings of kitchen life: Behind the celebrity chef, there is a small army of people doing the real work to keep that chef’s restaurants running.