Manu Feildel Wife Clarissa Weerasena: Inside Their Love and Family Story

Manu Feildel is known to millions of Australians as the charismatic French chef and television personality behind shows such as My Kitchen Rules. His cooking skills, strong opinions about food and unmistakable French accent have made him a familiar face on Australian television.

Away from the kitchen, however, Manu has built a long-lasting relationship with Clarissa Weerasena.

Their love story began in a rather unexpected way. When the pair first met at a Sydney nightclub in 2011, Clarissa did not recognize the celebrity chef standing in front of her. In fact, her first reaction was basically, “Who the hell are you?”

That unusual first meeting eventually became the beginning of a relationship that led to marriage, children and a shared love of cooking.

How Did Manu Feildel Meet Clarissa Weerasena?

Manu and Clarissa first crossed paths in 2011 at Sydney’s Ivy nightclub.

According to Clarissa, she had no idea who Manu was at the time. The chef approached her after hearing that she could cook better than him.

Instead of being impressed by his television career, Clarissa confidently told him that she probably could.

It was hardly the traditional celebrity love story.

Manu later recalled that they first met in a lift on their way to a nightclub. He was already familiar with the public side of his career, but Clarissa was not particularly interested in his fame because she simply did not know who he was.

The pair did not immediately begin dating.

In fact, they went about three months without seeing each other before meeting again for a drink.

Then another three months passed before they met for lunch.

Those slow beginnings eventually turned into something much more serious.

Clarissa’s Cooking Caught Manu’s Attention

For a chef like Manu, food was always going to be an important part of a relationship.

Clarissa’s cooking apparently made a particularly strong impression.

Manu has spoken about how much he appreciated the fact that Clarissa enjoyed both cooking and eating. For someone whose professional and personal life revolves around food, having a partner who shares that enthusiasm was a major attraction.

He eventually realized that Clarissa had many of the qualities he was looking for in a partner.

Her cooking ability was certainly one of them.

The relationship developed from there, and what began with a cheeky conversation about who could cook better became a serious romance.

When Did Manu Feildel Propose to Clarissa?

Manu proposed to Clarissa in 2013, around two years after their first meeting.

The couple became engaged but did not immediately rush down the aisle.

Instead, they spent several more years building their relationship and family life.

During their engagement, they also welcomed their daughter, Charlee, in 2015.

Their decision to wait before getting married meant that by the time their wedding finally arrived, they had already spent years together and had experienced parenthood as a couple.

Manu and Clarissa Welcomed Daughter Charlee

Charlee is Manu and Clarissa’s daughter.

She was born in 2015, two years after her parents became engaged.

Manu has shared family moments involving Clarissa and their children over the years, although the couple has generally kept much of their private life away from the constant attention that comes with celebrity status.

Charlee has grown up with a father who spends much of his professional life around food and television.

Her parents’ relationship has also meant that food and family have naturally become connected parts of her childhood.

When Did Manu Feildel and Clarissa Get Married?

After a four-year engagement, Manu and Clarissa finally married in January 2018.

The couple chose an intimate wedding surrounded by family and friends.

Manu announced the marriage publicly and described the ceremony as a beautiful and intimate occasion filled with love and laughter.

The wedding marked the next chapter of a relationship that had already lasted several years.

By then, Manu and Clarissa had known each other for roughly seven years and were already parents.

Their marriage was therefore less about the beginning of their relationship and more about celebrating a partnership they had already built together.

Manu Feildel Was Previously in a Long-Term Relationship

Before meeting Clarissa, Manu was in a long-term relationship with Ronnie Morshead.

The former couple were together for 12 years and share a son, Jonti.

That means Manu’s family includes both Jonti and his daughter Charlee.

Manu has spoken warmly about family life, and photographs shared over the years have shown him spending time with Clarissa and both children.

The blended family has become an important part of his life away from television.

What Makes Manu and Clarissa’s Relationship Work?

Manu has previously talked about the simple habits that help keep his marriage strong.

One of the biggest is spending time together.

He has also emphasized the importance of not taking your partner for granted.

After being together for many years, couples can sometimes become so comfortable with one another that they forget the reasons they first fell in love.

For Manu and Clarissa, continuing to spend quality time together has been an important part of maintaining their connection.

And, naturally, cooking is another major part of their relationship.

Manu and Clarissa Cook Together

Food is at the center of Manu and Clarissa’s relationship.

Manu has said that the couple cooks for each other regularly and that they enjoy preparing food together.

It makes sense considering both of them have a strong interest in cooking.

However, Manu has admitted that Clarissa does more of the cooking at home.

He has estimated that he handles roughly 30 percent of the cooking, while Clarissa does about 70 percent.

That may be surprising considering Manu’s reputation as a professional chef, but he seems perfectly happy letting his wife take control of the kitchen.

Clarissa has experience cooking a wide range of cuisines, which gives the family plenty of variety at home.

Clarissa Has Malaysian and Sri Lankan Heritage

Clarissa comes from a Malaysian and Sri Lankan background.

Manu has spoken about her connection to food and family traditions and has praised her ability to cook different styles of cuisine.

Her background also adds another cultural element to their home.

Manu grew up in France, while Clarissa has Malaysian and Sri Lankan heritage.

Their relationship therefore brings together different food traditions, cultures and family experiences.

For a chef, that variety can be especially exciting.

Date Nights Are Usually About Going Out

You might expect a chef and his wife to spend their romantic evenings cooking elaborate meals at home.

For Manu and Clarissa, that is not necessarily the case.

When they have a date night, Manu has said they often prefer to go out.

Japanese food is one of their favorite choices.

Considering that so much of their daily life already revolves around cooking, visiting a restaurant gives them an opportunity to simply enjoy food without having to prepare it themselves.

They also tend to seek out good restaurants when traveling.

Food remains part of their holidays, too.

Food Has Always Been Part of Their Relationship

It is difficult to tell the story of Manu and Clarissa without talking about food.

Their relationship began partly because of a playful conversation about cooking.

Clarissa impressed Manu with her own skills in the kitchen.

They cook together at home.

They enjoy going out for meals.

And when they travel, finding good restaurants is often part of the experience.

For the couple, food is more than just a profession. It is also a way of spending time together.

Manu and Clarissa Have Built a Private Family Life

Although Manu has spent years in the public eye, he and Clarissa have maintained many aspects of their family life privately.

Their relationship has lasted through major career changes, parenthood and the pressures that come with being a television personality.

Manu’s work has taken him into restaurants, television studios and judging panels, while Clarissa has continued to build a life alongside him.

Their relationship has also evolved as their children have grown.

The couple has managed to maintain a sense of family while Manu’s career remains highly visible.

A First Meeting That Became a Lasting Romance

Manu Feildel and Clarissa Weerasena’s story began with an unusual introduction.

She did not know who he was.

He approached her with a playful challenge about cooking.

They went months without seeing each other before meeting again.

Eventually, the relationship developed into an engagement, a family and a marriage.

Manu proposed in 2013, their daughter Charlee arrived in 2015 and they married in January 2018.

Years later, their relationship is still closely connected to the things they enjoyed from the beginning: food, family, laughter and spending time together.

For a celebrity chef whose professional life is almost always surrounded by cameras and cooking, his relationship with Clarissa appears to provide something much more personal.

It all started with a woman who had no idea who the famous chef was and was confident enough to tell him she might cook better than him.

That unexpected beginning eventually became a lasting family story.