Sandra Lee Finds 'Good Match' In Ben Youcef After Governor Cuomo Split
Sandra Lee has had a tough few years, to say the least. The Emmy Award-winning author and Food Network Star had been in a relationship with New York Governor Andrew Cuomo for 14 years before their break up in 2019. Although neither Cuomo nor Lee officially cited any reason for their breakup, the Daily Mail reported that Lee had been wanting to marry Cuomo for a while. However, Cuomo claimed it would be against his Catholic faith to marry a second time. A friend of the couple claimed that Lee even had a ring picked out, too. Lee, however, has denied both of those statements since.
The New York Post reported that Lee was so devastated after her break-up with Cuomo that she left New York to move to Malibu, California and that she didn't date anyone for months after. It also didn't help that sexual harassment allegations were filed against Cuomo earlier this year. New York Attorney General Letitia James announced that an independent investigation conducted to look into the allegations found that Cuomo has "sexually harassed multiple women" and that he had "violated federal and state law" (via People).
However, Sandra Lee fans will be happy to know that the cookbook author has found a new beau — Ben Youcef — and told People that she's having the best summer of her life!
Sandra Lee met Ben Youcef at a restaurant in Santa Monica
People reported that Sandra Lee met Ben Youcef while dining at a restaurant in Santa Monica in March. According to his bio on IMDb, Youcef is a 42-year-old non-profit interfaith leader, a theatre-trained actor, and Steven Speilberg's protégé. Initially, Lee was reportedly hesitant to date Youcef due to the 13 year age gap between the two: "Ben is 13 years her junior, and Sandra struggled with the age difference refusing to date him at first," a source told People. "Ben was patient and reassured her that age is just a number."
The source also told People that Youcef was a patient man and a "good match" for Lee because he understands Lee's personal and professional life. The pair also work well together because Lee found someone totally different from Cuomo, the source adds. The news comes as the new duo were photographed vacationing in the French town of St. Tropez together by Page Six. A source told the outlet that Lee and Youcef "make a gorgeous couple" and that "they're both extremely spiritual."
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).