Sandra Lee Is Engaged; Is Andrew Cuomo Dating Anyone?
Sandra Lee, best known for her work on the Food Network and her famous past relationship, has officially moved on. While her relationship with Andrew Cuomo once made front-page news, their love affair has been over for years, and Lee has absolutely moved on. The Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee star has been engaged to Ben Youcef since 2021. Has Cuomo met someone new, too?
Sandra Lee is engaged to Ben Youcef
Sandra Lee bounced back from her breakup with Andrew Cuomo in 2019. During the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, she sold the home she shared with Cuomo in Westchester County, NY, and moved to California. The now-57-year-old met Ben Youcef, an actor and model, in 2021, and they hit it off. The duo are reportedly engaged.
Despite their engagement, Lee and Youcef don’t appear to be in a rush to walk down the aisle. At the very least, they aren’t advertising whether they’ve already tied the knot or when they plan to do so. Both Lee and Youcef have been married before.
Lee married Bruce Karatz, a businessman, in 2001. They parted ways in 2005, the same year she met Cuomo. Youcef married a real estate broker in 2015. According to Page Six, the now-45-year-old was still married to the mother of his twins when he hooked up with Lee. Things appeared to be completely civil, though.
The Daily Mail caught up with Youcef’s ex, Apryl Stephenson, in 2021. She confirmed they were in the midst of a divorce and wished Youcef and Lee all the best. She declined to comment further on the relationship.
Andrew Cuomo is reportedly dating someone
While Lee has been happy to share her new love with the world, her ex has been more camera-shy. Since he stepped down as governor of New York in 2021, Cuomo has kept a mostly low profile. Still, it looks like he’s in a new relationship. At the very least, he was seeing someone last year.
In May 2023, Page Six received a tip that Cuomo had been spotted at a Westport, Connecticut, eatery with a woman he introduced as his “girlfriend.” According to a source, the green-eyed blonde is named Emma and appears younger than Cuomo. He is 65, and she is reportedly in her 40s. Cuomo has not surfaced with the blonde since, so it’s possible things didn’t work out. It’s equally likely that he’s keeping things private now that he’s no longer a public figure.
Cuomo was married just once to Kerry Kennedy. The marriage lasted just five years. Cuomo shares three daughters with Kennedy. Despite his long-standing relationship with Lee, the pair were never engaged. They did own a home together, though.
