COUPLESSandra Lee's Heartbreaking Split: TV Chef Calls Off Engagement With Fiancé Ben Youcef After 5 Years of Dating
Sandra Lee is single again, as she has called off her engagement to Ben Youcef.
April 22 2026, Updated 12:59 p.m. ET
Celebrity chef Sandra Lee is officially single again.
The TV personality and her fiancé, Ben Youcef, have gone their separate ways after five years together, with Lee ultimately deciding to call off the engagement, her publicist, Jennifer Abel, confirmed to multiple news outlets.
The pair first sparked romance rumors in 2021 after meeting at a restaurant and got engaged later that year.
Sandra Lee and Ben Youcef dated for five years.
In recent weeks, fans began noticing subtle signs that something had changed. Lee was spotted without her engagement ring and kept quiet when asked about wedding plans, fueling speculation that trouble might be brewing behind the scenes.
Sandra Lee and Ben Youcef Developed Their Relationship Slowly
Sandra Lee previously dated Andrew Cuomo.
Nonetheless, the cook seemed in good spirits when asked about her romance with Yousef in 2024.
“Meeting Ben was incredible. It was the perfect intersection of timing and chemistry,” she gushed at the time.
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Sandra Lee previously gushed over her 'chemistry' with Ben Youcef.
The stars took their time getting to know each other instead of rushing into a relationship.
“I literally felt like a virgin at 55, and I just didn’t want to get involved again,” Lee said. “He finally kissed me, and I stood there stone-still. He kept his lips on mine, and my mind just went blank. I still didn’t kiss him back.”
She continued, “He waited and persisted, and here we are. My chemistry with Ben is something that I’ve never had before. It’s mental, it’s emotional, and it’s a connection that I can’t even describe. When he kisses me, my mind goes blank. It’s the only time I can meditate, which is why I love kissing him.”
Sandra Lee Previously Dated Governor Andrew Cuomo
Sandra Lee has not yet commented on her breakup.
Youcef marked Lee’s first romance after her split from former New York governor Andrew Cuomo. She and Cuomo had been together for over a decade before ending their relationship in 2019.
During her interview in 2024, she emphasized how different her relationship with Youcef was than her connection with the politician.
"When you live separate lives, you are not creating a life together,” she said. “Ben is very patient, and he’s very transparent. He checks in all the time, and shares everything with me. He loves helping people without agenda or motive. He truly tries to be a better human every day.”
“We all go through pain and hurt,” Lee explained. “You’re either at the beginning, the middle or the end of hurt and pain. It’s life. It’s a cycle. And then you get these amazing runs of happiness that make it all worth it. My life was a nightmare that slowly turned into a dream.”
