From a lift in a nightclub, to a lasting romance. Inside Manu Feildel's relationship.

Everybody's favourite French chef is back on My Kitchen Rules this year. Judge and co-host Manu Feildel sits at the head of the chef's table, teaming up with Colin Fassnidge to bring us some of the best home cooking in Australia.

"It's about respecting the ingredients and making delicious food while keeping your cool under pressure," Feildel said of the new season. True. That, and a side of drama, in my opinion.

But as My Kitchen Rules consumes our screens in a period of reality TV saturation, our nosy, curious minds want to know it all. We know plenty about the Chef and TV personality Feildel. But what about the man Feildel. Is he married? Does he have kids? The answer to both of those questions is oui.

Feildel is the doting father of two, in fact. The eldest is Jonti, Feildel's 18-year-old son who he shares with ex-partner Veronica Morshead. Feildel and Morshead split in 2009 after 12 years together.

Then in 2011, he met his now-wife Clarissa Weerasena, a jewellery designer, at a nightclub in Sydney.

A post shared by Manu Feildel (@manufeildelofficial) on Jan 28, 2018 at 9:54pm PST

"We met in a lift going to a nightclub in Sydney. She didn’t know who I was. We didn’t see each other for three months after that, then we caught up for a drink," he told TV Week in 2017.

"I was nervous, because three months had passed. We didn’t see each other for another three months, then had some lunch. The rest is history," he added.

Weerasena moved from Perth to Sydney, and six months after that first meeting, the two were dating.

Three years into their relationship, Feildel proposed, and in 2014, they announced they were expecting a baby.

"I'm excited to be able to share this brilliant news with you all, my fiancee Clarissa and I are expecting a little girl in the New Year!" Feildel wrote on Facebook at the time. "We are both over the moon and can’t wait to meet our daughter."

Charlee was born in 2015.

A post shared by Manu Feildel (@manufeildelofficial) on Sep 22, 2017 at 4:46pm PDT

A year later, the couple released a cookbook together titled More Please, drawing on the meals they make together at home.

After being engaged for four years and ducking incessant rumour that the two had "secretly" married already, they married in January 2018 in a wedding they pulled together in the space of three months.

"Last week I married the love of my life Clarissa in a beautiful intimate ceremony. We had a wonderful day surrounded by family and friends and lots of love and laughter," the chef wrote on Instagram.

In an interview with New Idea, both Clarissa and Manu admitted the day was emotional for both of them as they finally married in front of a handful of friends and family in Adelaide.

"I don't show my emotions much, but it was very moving for me. Before, I told myself "I'm not going to cry" but as soon as I saw Manu and Jonti … I was a mess after that," said Clarissa.

"Of course I cried but it was happiness, not nerves. I could not hold onto my feelings. I'm a big, soft bear!" Feildel added.

Watch Feildel and his wife, Clarissa promote their charity dinner party in 2022. Article continues after video.

Since the two lovers tied the knot, it seems their love has only grown stronger. The two share a passion for cooking and a bond that exists both in and out of the kitchen. Feildel has also admitted that while the public sees him as the head chef, when it comes to his relationship, he is more than happy to take a backseat to his wife's delicious cooking.

"She's Malaysian and Sri Lankan. Asians, in general love cooking, and they love sharing food with their families and friends," Feildel told New Idea. "And Clarissa is a very good cook, and she can cook all different types of cuisines, so I'm happy to let her cook most of the time. I do about 30% and she does about 70%," he gushed about his wife.

In October 2021, Feildel shared an adorable snap of his wife and daughter baking captioning it, "It's Sunday! Baking day! My 2 favourite girls in the kitchen wearing their beautiful matching aprons."

Manu Feildel's wife, Clarissa and their daughter baking. Image: Instagram/manufeildelofficial

Browsing Feildel's Instagram posts from the last couple of years, there are plenty of adorable date night videos and enough cooking collaborations to make your heart swell. In a post in March 2024, Feildel celebrated his wife's first TV debut, sharing a lovely picture and finishing the caption with, "Ps: she is way better cook than me." They are so in love — we can't stand it!

This article was originally published in February 2018 and has since been updated with new information.