Sandra Lee Serves Up Details on Her Date Nights With Partner Ben Youcef

Sandra Lee's recipe for the perfect date night? Just quality time with her love Ben Youcef.

The Food Network star recently revealed one of their favorite activities to do together.  

"We just had a date a couple of nights ago," Sandra, 56, exclusively told E! News at the March 28 New York Women in Film & Television annual Muse Awards in New York, where she was honored. "We usually go to Santa Barbara. We drive. We love driving. That's our favorite thing. We just stop in the middle of nowhere next to a beautiful ocean and take a walk and jump back in the car." 

For the couple, these drives can offer an escape from the public attention around their relationship.

"One time we were trapped in Paris by a bunch of photographers, and we rented a car and drove right out of Paris to the country," Sandra continued. "He's almost a good of driver as I am!"

Reports of Sandra and Ben's romance first started spreading in the summer of 2021. Since then, the pair have continued to give followers glimpses into their relationship on social media, such as by posting pictures of themselves enjoying romantic getaways, celebrating birthdays and holidays together and spending time with his twins from a previous relationship.

"We're very connected," Sandra told E! News in December about her bond with the actor, 44. "We have each other's passwords on our phone. We trust each other completely. There's nothing, there's no question that we can't ask each other and the other one won't be completely forthcoming."

Before dating Ben, Sandra was in a 14-year relationship with Andrew Cuomo, the former governor of New York whom she split from in 2019. The TV host was also married to Bruce Karatz from 2001 to 2005.  

And following her past romances, Sandra is grateful to have found love again in Ben.

"So this happened! Ben happened! Love happened! Happiness happened!" she wrote in a 2022 Valentine's Day post on Instagram. "I was certain it never would again. I was shocked when it did. I swore I would never fall again, trust again, love again or open myself up again."

And she expressed her hope that anyone looking for love finds it too. 

"My wish for you is that no matter where you are, how old you are or what has happened, you can welcome hope back into your life again," Sandra continued. "This Valentines I wish you all an abundance of love, laughter, butterflies, long walks, intimate talks, chills, tender kisses, sweet moments and pure joy in the world. Happy Valentine's Day to all of you—and to My Sweet Ben, thank you for making my heart feel whole again, alive again, and in love again."

- Reporting by Jewels Tauzin

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