Andrew Zimmern is known for eating unusual dishes on TV. But there was a very important person behind his success: Rishia Haas. For sixteen years, she was his wife and helped him get through some of the worst times of his life. Rishia wasn’t in the news, but she was always there for Andrew and their family, backing him. It’s a simple, honest, and powerful story.
We will learn more about Rishia Haas in this piece. We will look at her life before she became famous, how she met Andrew, their life together, and where she is now. Let’s learn more about her.
What is Rishia Haas?
For many, Rishia Haas is best known as the ex-wife of TV chef Andrew Zimmern. But her life is about a lot more than that. She has spent most of her life out of the public eye and is kind, strong, and quiet. When Andrew went on TV shows and travelled the world, Rishia stayed home to take care of her family and work.
She was born and raised in Minnesota. Before and after she got married, she lived a quiet, simple life there. Rishia had a job where she helped people, mostly those who were trying to get clean from drugs. She also gave Andrew her full support as he started over with his life.
Rishia Haas kept living with respect and grace after her ex-husband left her. She never sought fame or notice. By the year 2025, she is known for more than just being Andrew Zimmern’s ex-wife. She is also known as a protective mother and a hard worker.
Rishia Had a Life Before She Was Famous
Rishia Haas used to live a simple, steady life before she became famous and got a lot of attention. In Champlin, Minnesota, on July 29, 1973, she was born. She grew up in a sweet, close-knit family. You raised her with her two brothers, Jennifer and John Haas, by Robert and Karen Haas.
She went to Anoka High School in Minnesota, which is a public school, and then to Augsburg College, where she got her bachelor’s degree. Fame was never her main goal. To avoid being seen, she helped others and worked behind the scenes, just like Otelia Cox.
Rishia had a few small jobs after college. She worked in the office and at cooking schools. After that, she got a job at The Retreat in Minnesota, which is a rehab centre. She was in charge of new people coming in and helped people who were trying to quit drugs or drink.
She began working at the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation later that same year. This is a well-known organisation that helps people who are addicted. Even before the news made her famous, her work showed that she really wanted to help other people.
How Rishia and Andrew Zimmern Met
Drew Zimmern and Rishia Haas met for the first time in Minneapolis in 1999. Rishia met Andrew while she was working at the school store where Andrew taught a cooking class. Their meeting wasn’t planned or spectacular; it just happened. They both liked food, and their talks quickly turned into something more.
That time, Andrew was putting in a lot of work to make his life better. He had been homeless and struggling with addiction, but now he was finally getting back on track. Rishia knew what problems he was having. Because she had worked with people in recovery before, she not only gave love but also help. They became closer because of that link.
They were 20 years apart in age, but that didn’t change how close they were. They chose to build a future together because being with each other made them feel better.
The wedding of Rishia Haas and Andrew Zimmern
Andy Zimmern and Rishia Haas got married in 2002, not long after they met. Drew was just starting out in the media business at the time. It was time for him to leave the food business and go into TV. They hoped that his new job would allow them to spend more time with their children.
In 2005, they had a boy named Noah Zimmern. It was a happy time, and Rishia focused on taking care of their child while Andrew worked on his new job. The first episode of Bizarre Foods aired in 2006, and Andrew quickly became famous all over the world.
Andrew had to travel a lot for work and media events, but Rishia made sure that their home life was strong and solid. She wasn’t after fame or notice. She instead focused on taking care of her husband, raising Noah, and continuing her work in healthcare and healing.
It looked like they loved each other and were married for a long time. It wasn’t always easy behind closed doors, though.
The Life of Rishia as Andrew’s Wife
It wasn’t always easy to be married to Andrew Zimmern. Rishia Haas took care of things at home while Andrew went on trips around the world and watched weird foods on TV. She took care of their son, worked every day, and was there for Andrew when he needed help staying healthy.
Andy has told many times that Rishia was very helpful to him. Because of her job, she knew how hard it was for him to deal with his addiction. She helped him get through hard times and was there for him when other people might have left.
With each new season of Bizarre Foods, Andrew got more popular, but Rishia stayed out of the public eye. Even though she went to a few events with him, she never liked being filmed. She liked having a simple, calm life at home.
Andrew was always on TV, and Rishia took care of the family from the background. Still, all that worry and pressure made things tougher between them over time.
The reason they split up
As Andrew’s fame grew, he spent more time away from home. Like Raquel Pedraza’s husband, he was always going on trips, making films, meeting new people, and working on new projects. Even though things were going well at work, his home life was starting to get worse.
Andrew has told the truth about what went wrong. This is what he told The New York Times in 2018:
Besides that, he said that fame cost him something.
By 2018, they had chosen to split up and later got a divorce. There wasn’t a big fight or a bad split. The end of a long relationship was quiet and polite. Andrew said that the breakup was hard but friendly, which showed that they still cared about each other.
Their marriage is over as of 2025, but the things they did together made them who they are now.
Life for Rishia Haas After the Split
Rishia Haas chose a calm and peaceful road after her divorce in 2018. She didn’t stay in the public eye; instead, she focused on her son Noah and her own life. While Andrew Zimmern kept working on food projects and TV shows, Rishia chose to stay out of the news.
She kept living in Edina, Minnesota, because that’s where she had always felt most at ease. BrandonsRestaurant.com says that Rishia started keeping bees and joined the University of Minnesota Bee Lab. This may come as a surprise, but it shows how much she loves nature, quiet places, and work that matters.
As soon as Rishia Haas stopped being famous, she kept her promise to be a good mum. She and Andrew both take care of their son, and their relationship as co-parents has stayed friendly. Sources like Briefly.co.za say that she lives a quiet, steady life focused on health, nature, and family, but she doesn’t talk about it in public.
As of Right Now, Rishia Is
Rishia Haas is living her own life in the year 2025. Her job with bees is still going strong, and she also enjoys doing it for fun. Because she is quiet and loves nature, it fits her. She also loves cooking at home, being with her son, and living far from the chaos of the news.
Rishia never tried to be famous, even though she was married to a famous TV face. She rarely goes to public events and doesn’t do interviews or have a public social media account. Balance, healing, and staying close to what’s important to her are now the most important things in her life.
Rishia Haas is thought to be worth about $3 million, according to the numbers. Many of these things are because she works in healthcare, has worked for a charity, and knows Andrew. But she still lives a simple life and doesn’t brag about how successful she is.
Last Thoughts
There’s more to Rishia Haas than being ex-wife of Andrew Zimmern. The nice and strong woman helped him through hard times and was there for him when he needed help the most. She wasn’t interested in fame; she took care of her family from behind the scenes.
Rishia Haas is still having a calm and peaceful life in 2025. She shows us that happiness can be found in the little things, like working with bees or cooking at home. We hope this piece spoke to you and helped you. Thanks for reading!
(FAQs)
Has Rishia Haas gotten married again?
No, Rishia Haas has not gotten married again since she split up with Andrew Zimmern in 2018.
What does Rishia Haas do now?
Rishia is a worker at the University of Minnesota Bee Lab as of 2025.
Where does Rishia Haas live?
She has built a calm and peaceful life for herself in Edina, Minnesota.
How old is Rishia Haas now?
In 2025, she will be 51 years old. She was born on July 29, 1973.
How much money does Rishia Haas have?
Details say that her net worth is probably around $3 million.