Who Is Billy Joel’s Third Wife? All About Food Network Host Katie Lee Biegel

Billy Joel met his third wife, culinary star Katie Lee Biegel, in the most unexpected way.

Billy and Katie’s connection is one of the many chapters in the singer’s life, a legacy that is the subject of the documentary Billy Joel: And So It Goes. The second part of the film premiered on July 25 on HBO.

The movie about the “Uptown Girl” performer covers his relationships, including his marriage to Katie from 2004 to 2009. The vocalist and foodie met at a Manhattan establishment in 2002, where they quickly got to know each other.

During their marriage, Billy wrote songs about Katie, and she pursued her food passion with his support. Since going their separate ways, Katie has become a successful television personality and cookbook author.

So, who is Billy Joel’s third wife? Here’s everything to know about Katie Lee Biegel and her relationship with the musician.

She met Billy in 2002, and they married in 2004

Billy and Katie met in November 2002 when she was visiting New York City for a weekend. As Katie later recalled to Oprah.com, she was with a friend at the rooftop bar of The Peninsula Hotel in Manhattan when she ran into the singer.

“I am coming out of the bathroom, and who do I almost bump into but him,” she said.

Billy joined Katie and her friend for a drink, and then went out to dinner.

“We had this great dinner, and we had pasta and white truffles, and he was really trying to impress me,” she continued. “I’d say it was love at first bite because we had such a good meal and we both love food, so that was what we bonded over.”

The couple went on to marry in 2004 at Billy’s home in Oyster Bay, N.Y. Billy’s daughter, Alexa Ray, was Katie’s maid of honor.

“I’m always impressed by her,” Katie said of Alexa. “She has so much talent and grace, and she’s just really special.”

She released her first cookbook in 2008

Katie has been the author of multiple cookbooks. Her debut title was 2008’s The Comfort Table, followed by 2009’s The Comfort Table: Recipes for Everyday Occasions.

Several years later, she released the Endless Summer Cookbook in 2015. Her most recent title was 2021’s It’s Not Complicated: Simple Recipes for Every Day.

In 2011, Katie wrote Groundswell, a novel about surfing, which was adapted into a Hallmark TV movie starring Lacey Chabert in 2022.

She inspired Billy’s 2007 song, “All My Life”

Billy’s 2007 single, “All My Life,” was inspired by Katie and written as an anniversary present to her, according to Billy’s official website. The romantic ballad fittingly debuted on Valentine’s Day.

“All My Life” was notable because it was Billy’s first original single he had released since his 1993 album, River of Dreams.

She and Billy divorced in 2009

Throughout their courtship and marriage, Billy and Katie were often spotted side by side at different events and on red carpets. In June 2009, the pair announced they were splitting up, sharing that there were no hard feelings.

“After nearly five years of marriage Billy Joel & Katie Lee Joel have decided to separate,” reps for the couple told PEOPLE in a statement at the time. “This decision is a result of much thoughtful consideration. Billy & Katie remain caring friends with admiration and respect for each other.”

Earlier that year, in February 2009, Katie spoke to New York Magazine about her public relationship with Billy and how it impacted her life.

“I’m the first person to say having that last name helped me get a foot in the door, but I feel like I can stand on my own two feet working toward my dreams,” she said.

Katie added, “I want the best for him, and I think he wants the best for me. You make adjustments, but everybody is going through change now.”

She co-hosts The Kitchen on Food Network, and has her own podcast

In the years since her marriage to Billy ended, Katie has become a culinary television star.

She is currently a co-host on Food Network’s The Kitchen and previously hosted Beach Bites with Katie Lee on the Cooking Channel from 2015 to 2018. Katie has also been a guest judge on Food Network’s Halloween Baking Championship.

In 2006, Katie hosted the first season of Top Chef. She later admitted that her role on the cooking competition show was not the best fit.

“[Top Chef] was really not the right vehicle for me,” she said in 2022. “Learning that and learning to be able to say, ‘This is a great opportunity, but it doesn’t feel right.’ It took me a while after to understand that, and taking your ego out of it.”

In addition to being a television staple, Katie hosts her own podcast, All on the Table with Katie Lee Biegel, and in 2023, she launched a line of organic wines, Kind of Wild Wines.

She married TV producer Ryan Biegel in 2018

In September 2018, Katie married TV producer Ryan Biegel. The couple had their wedding on the Amalfi Coast.

“It felt so celebratory and special,” Kate told PEOPLE about the special day. “It was more than I ever could have imagined it to be.”

Two years later, in September 2020, Katie and Ryan welcomed their first child, a daughter named Iris Marion Biegel.

“Our hearts are so full,” Katie wrote in the Instagram post announcing the baby’s arrival.