Sandra Lee kisses fiance Ben Youcef during New Year’s Day outing in Malibu

Sandra Lee packed on the PDA with her fiancé Ben Youcef while enjoying some shopping in Malibu, California, on New Year’s Day. 

The Food Network star, 55, was spotted passionately kissing the Algerian-born actor, 42, with both of her arms wrapped around his neck at the Malibu Country Mart on Saturday.

Lee was dressed casually in a $52 Venti 6 gray sweatshirt with the phrase ‘Rock & Love’ splashed across the front, which she paired with some black pants.  

She topped off the look with a pair of aviators and plenty of jewelry, including hoop earrings, a layered necklace, and a new diamond ring. 

Sandra Lee and her fiancé Ben Youcef were spotted sharing a smooch in Malibu, California, on New Year’s Day 

Lee, 55, had her arm around Youcef, 42, as they strolled through Malibu Country Mart together 

Instead of the large engagement ring her fiancé gave her in Paris over the summer, she wore a delicate filigree band lined with diamonds. 

The new bling is believed to be a Christmas gift from Youcef, a source told Page Six.

Lee’s blond hair was pulled back with a barrette holding back her long bangs, but a few strands fell onto her face she smooched her partner of 11 months. 

Meanwhile, Youcef sported a white long-sleeve shirt and jeans, with his face mask tucked into his back pocket. Like his wife-to-be, he also had on aviators.  

When she wasn’t cuddled up with her fiancé, she was seen scrolling through her cellphone while sitting at a picnic table at the outdoor shopping center. 

The Food Network star had her arms wrapped around the Algerian-born actor’s neck as they kissed 

Youcef appeared to have his hand on Lee’s lower back as they packed on the PDA on Saturday 

Instead of her engagement ring, Lee was wearing delicate filigree band lined with diamonds that is believed to be a Christmas gift from Youcef, Page Six reported 

Resting on the bench were shopping bags from the clothing stores Madison Malibu and M.Fredric. 

Lee appeared to have changed her outfit at some point because she was also photographed wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and gray sweatpants on New Year’s Day. 

Just hours before the shopping trip, the couple rang in the new year together at Nobu Malibu, People reported.  

‘They are very much looking forward to the new year,’ a source told the outlet. ‘They are happier than ever.’

The television chef moved to Malibu after she and her ex, disgraced former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, split in September 2019. 

Just hours before the shopping trip, the couple rang in the new year together at Nobu Malibu, People reported

Lee was dressed casually in a gray sweatshirt with the phrase ‘Rock & Love’ splashed across the front and black pants

The television chef wore plenty of jewelry, including hoop earrings, a layered necklace, and the diamond bands on her manicured fingers 

Lee’s blonde hair was messily pulled back, and while her long bangs were clipped off her face, a few strands came loose 

Lee and Cuomo were introduced at a party in the Hamptons in 2005 by political adviser Alexandra Stanton, one of Lee’s best friends and Cuomo’s former aide.

At the time Cuomo, son of former New York Governor Mario Cuomo, was fresh off a failed run for governor and a very public and bitter divorce from Kerry Kennedy, the daughter of Robert F. Kennedy. 

Lee was also recently single after divorcing her husband of four years, KB Home CEO Bruce Karatz, earlier that year. 

With Lee in his corner, Cuomo rebounded and was elected New York Attorney General in 2006. Four years later, he went on to be elected governor in 2010.  

They dated for 14 years and lived together, but they never got engaged in their decade and a half as a couple.  

While at the Malibu Country Mart, Lee was seen sitting at a picnic table and scrolling through her cellphone 

Lee wore aviator sunglasses to shield her eyes from the California sun as she looked at her phone 

Resting on the bench were shopping bags from the clothing stores Madison Malibu and M.Fredric

Lee and Youcef are believed to have met at a charity event in Santa Monica back in March, with him making the first move.  

He is a father to five-year-old twins with his soon-to-be ex-wife, California-based realtor Apryl Stephenson. Though the pair are still legally married, they separated in 2019 and they filed for divorce in January 2020. 

Youcef proposed to Lee in August during their whirlwind trip to France that coincided with the sexual harassment scandal surrounding Cuomo.   

‘Ben really wanted to distract Sandra from all the news, so he whisked her away to Paris,’ an unnamed source close to Youcef told the New York Post. ‘He knows how hard this has been on her and he wants to make sure she feels loved and supported.’

The source added: ‘Ben is incredibly protective of Sandra. They’re soulmates and head-over-heels in love.’    

Lee appeared to have changed her outfit at some point because she was also photographed wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and gray sweatpants on New Year’s Day

Lee and Youcef got engaged in Paris in August during a whirlwind trip to France 

Lee and Youcef are believed to have met at a charity event in Santa Monica back in March, with him making the first move

Cuomo, 64, resigned from office in August after investigators working for New York Attorney General Letitia James authored a report concluding he had sexually harassed 11 women.

Cuomo has denied the allegations. 

The ex-governor has been hit with a charge of forcible touching relating to the allegation of Brittany Commisso, a former aide who claimed Cuomo groped her breast in the office of the Executive Mansion in Albany in December 2020.

The complaint, which was signed by an investigator from the Albany County Sheriff’s Office, alleges that the former governor ‘intentionally, and for no legitimate purpose, forcibly place his hand under the blouse shirt of the victim and onto her intimate body part.’

Commisso’s claim was the most serious of all of the allegations listed in James’ report, which Cuomo has maintained was a hit-job by James to get him out of her way.

Lee had dated former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo for 14 years until they broke up in September 2019 

Cuomo, 64, resigned from office in August after investigators working for New York Attorney General Letitia James authored a report concluding he had sexually harassed 11 women 

‘From the moment my office received the referral to investigate allegations that former Governor Andrew Cuomo sexually harassed multiple women, we proceeded without fear or favor,’ James’ office said in a statement.

‘The criminal charges brought today against Mr. Cuomo for forcible touching further validate the findings in our report.’

If convicted, Cuomo could face up to one year in prison.

Despite the charges filed against him, Cuomo is considering running for political rival James’ attorney general post, sources said.

He held the position from 2007 to 2010 before becoming governor and now sources close to the politician told the New York Post he could run for the position in 2022.

‘People in Cuomo’s orbit are tossing it out there,’ a person close to Cuomo told the New York Post. ‘They’re floating [the idea].’