Who was Michael Chiarello married to? All about his wife and kids as the Food Network star dies aged 61

On October 6, celebrity chef Michael Chiarello, known for Italian-influenced California cuisine, succumbed to an acute allergic reaction. He was 61 years old at the time of his demise.

The former Food Network star passed away at the Queen of the Valley Medical Center in Napa, California, as reported by People. In fact, he spent nearly a week at the hospital and was receiving treatment for an allergy, which ultimately led to a fatal anaphylactic shock.

Following his death, Michael Chiarello’s family released a statement for the press, paying tribute to the esteemed chef and their beloved family member.

“We deeply mourn the loss of our beloved patriarch Michael. His culinary brilliance, boundless creativity, and unwavering commitment to family were at the core of his being. He brought people together through the joy of shared meals, and fostering lasting memories around the table,” the statement read.

It further added how they would cherish his legacy both inside kitchens as well as in everybody’s hearts. So far, the details surrounding his allergic reaction, subsequent hospitalization, and death have not yet been revealed.

For those unaware, Chiarello is survived by his ex-wife Eileen Gordon Chiarello, and four children.

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Michael Chiarello was married to Eileen Gordon Chiarello between 2003 and 2019

According to ET Online, Michael Chiarello married Eileen Marie Gordon in 2003 and the couple had a son named Aidan in 2005. However, the marriage ended in 2019, when Michael filed for divorce.

As per jamesbeard.org, Eileen Gordon Chiarello is the founder of a crowd-funding community called Barnraiser that aims to raise donations to provide healthy food, living, wellness, and lifestyle opportunities to underprivileged Americans.

Not only that but along with her ex-husband Michael Chiarello, Eileen owns the Chiarello Vineyards in Napa Valley, California alongside famous celebrity restaurant chains including Bottega and Coqueta.

She also accompanied Michael on a few Emmy-winning Food Network cooking shows and co-owned a lifestyle brand with him called NapaStyle.

In 2014, Eileen also launched Dirt-to-Dine Adventure Camps for children at Connolly Ranch which merged her passion for community service, helping the young population, and sustainability.

Besides Aidan, Chiarello also has three other children, daughters Margaux, Felicia, and Giana from his first marriage.

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Exploring, in brief, the career of Michael Chiarello

Michael Chiarello began his career in the 1980s after having graduated with a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management from the Florida International University followed by another degree from the Culinary Institute of America.

After passing out of the university, he immediately opened restaurants in Florida, namely The Grand Bay and Toby’s Bar and Grill. However, the California native soon returned home and settled in Napa Valley where he opened the restaurant Tra Vigne in 1987.

However, it wasn’t until 2001, that he became a chef in front of the camera, debuting with PBS’ Season by Season. Later, in 2003, he started hosting the popular food show on Food Network called Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello for which he earned a Daytime Emmy in 2005 in the category Outstanding Service Show Host.

It was followed by NapaStyle in 2004 which ran on Fine Living Network. Both these shows earned him the fame of a lifetime.

He also appeared on famous American cooking shows such as Top Chef, Top Chef Masters, and The Next Iron Chef. He also wrote many best-selling cookbooks including the 2013 Michael Chiarello’s Live Fire: 125 Recipes for Cooking Outdoors and 2015 Micheal Chiarello’s Casual Cooking among others.

Chiarello was faced with s*xual harassment accusations and labor law violations in 2016. However, the lawsuits were settled in 2017.