Aaron Sanchez Biography: Wife, Age, Net Worth, Son, Height, Weight, TV Shows, Restaurants

Aaron Sanchez is an American‑Mexican chef and television personality whose reputation soared after appearing as a judge on Food Network’s Chopped and later becoming a full‑time judge on MasterChef US starting in Season 8.

He also hosted the Cooking Channel’s Emmy‑nominated travel‑food series Taco Trip, and competed on Iron Chef America where one of his battles with Masaharu Morimoto ended in a rare draw.

Profile

• Full name: Aarón Sanchez
• Date of birth: February 12, 1976
• Age: 49 years old
• Gender: Male
• Place of birth: El Paso, Texas, United States
• Nationality: Mexican‑American
• Profession: Celebrity chef, restaurateur, author, television personality, philanthropist
• Height: 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
• Weight: 90 kg (approx.)
• Parents: Zarela Martínez and Adolfo Sanchez
• Siblings: Twin brother Rodrigo Sanchez
• Spouse: Formerly Ifé Mora (divorced)
• Children: Yuma Sanchez
• Relationship status: Divorced
• Ethnicity: Latino / Mexican‑American
• Net worth: US $4 million

Early Life and education

Aaron Sanchez is now 49 years old, and was born on February 12, 1976. He is the son of Zarela Martínez, a noted restaurateur and cookbook author, and Adolfo Sanchez.

He and his twin brother Rodrigo were born in El Paso, Texas, and in 1984 the family moved to New York, where his mother opened Café Marimba and Aaron began cooking professionally in the kitchen.

He attended The Dwight School in New York, graduating in 1994, then enrolled at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island, earning a degree in culinary arts in 1996.

Personal Life

Aaron Sanchez was married to singer Ifé Mora from 2009 until their divorce in 2012. They have one son, Yuma Sanchez, born in 2011.

He has stated that his demanding career contributed to the marriage ending, admitting he did not spend enough time with his family during those years.

Career

After graduating culinary school in 1996, Aaron Sanchez worked at Patria in New York under Douglas Rodriguez, then co‑founded Erizo Latino the same year with Alex Garcia. He later held executive chef posts at L‑Ray and Isla, and moved briefly to San Francisco, working at Rose Pistola.

In 2001 he opened Paladar, a pan‑Latin restaurant in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, which received praise and awards before he sold his stake in 2010. He became chef at Centrico, which closed in 2012.

In 2014 he co‑founded Johnny Sánchez with John Besh, opening locations in Baltimore and New Orleans; the Baltimore branch closed in 2017 and Besh left the venture, leaving Aaron and partners as sole owners.

On television, he is best known for judging Chopped, hosting Taco Trip, appearing on Iron Chef America, guest‑judging on numerous Food Network shows, and joining MasterChef US as a judge from Season 8 (2017) through Season 14; he remains a judge on MasterChef Junior since 2019.

He released a memoir in October 2019 entitled Where I Come From: Life Lessons from a Latino Chef.

Awards

• James Beard Award for Television Studio Program (winner)
• Nominations: Emmy nomination for Taco Trip (Cooking Channel)

Net worth

Aaron Sanchez net worth is estimated to be at least $4 million. His wealth derives from earnings as a television personality (judging and hosting), ownership and operation of restaurants, cookbook sales, and related culinary enterprises including the Aarón Sánchez Scholarship Fund and digital media ventures.

Social Media

• Instagram: @chefaaronsanchez
• Twitter (X): @Chef_Aaron

Filmography

• Melting Pot (Food Network)
• Boy Meets Grill
• Throwdown! with Bobby Flay
• Food Detectives
• Chefs vs. City
• Food(graphy)
• Unique Eats
• Aarón Loves New York
• The Best Thing I Ever Ate
• Heat Seekers
• The Best Thing I Ever Made
• Iron Chef America
• The Taste
• Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook‑Off
• Southern Fried Everything
• Rewrapped
• Finding Your Roots
• Beat Bobby Flay
• Best.Ever.
• Taco Trip
• Eat the World with Emeril Lagasse
• Chopped After Hours
• Chopped Junior
• MasterChef (US)
• MasterChef Junior
• Gordon Ramsay’s 24 Hours to Hell and Back
• Hell’s Kitchen
• Selena + Chef

Books

• La Comida del Barrio: Latin-American Cooking in the U.S.A. (2003)
• Simple Food, Big Flavor: Unforgettable Mexican-Inspired Recipes from My Kitchen to Yours (2011)
• Where I Come From: Life Lessons From a Latino Chef (2019, memoir)