Rishia Haas: Life Story of Andrew Zimmern’s Ex-Wife and Her Journey After Divorce

When people hear the name Rishia Haas, they often think of her as “Andrew Zimmern’s ex-wife.” But Rishia is so much more than that. She is a strong, kind, and private woman who has built a meaningful life on her own terms. She raised a son, helped people recover from addiction, and chose peace over fame. Her story is simple but powerful.

Quick Bio

Detail	Information
Full Name	Rishia Haas
Date of Birth	July 29, 1973
Age (2025)	51 years old
Birthplace	Champlin, Minnesota, USA
Nationality	American
Education	Anoka High School; Augsburg College
Profession	Administrative Professional, Recovery Support Worker
Known For	Ex-wife of Andrew Zimmern
Married	December 26, 2002
Divorced	2018
Ex-Husband	Andrew Zimmern (Chef and TV Host)
Children	Noah Zimmern (born 2005)
Current Residence	Edina, Minnesota, USA
Net Worth	Estimated around $3 to $5 million
Social Media	Prefers to stay private, not active publicly

Who Is Rishia Haas?

Rishia Haas is an American woman who became known to the public because of her marriage to Andrew Zimmern, the famous TV chef and host of Bizarre Foods. However, Rishia has always been her own person. She is not a celebrity. She never wanted to be one.

She grew up in Minnesota, studied there, worked there, and still lives there today. Her life is defined by her love for her son, her dedication to helping others, and her quiet but strong personality. She has worked in healthcare and addiction recovery, which shows how much she cares about people going through hard times.

Even though she is linked to a very famous man, Rishia has never let that define her. She chose a path of kindness, hard work, and peace. And that makes her story worth telling.

Early Life and Education

Rishia Haas was born on July 29, 1973, in Champlin, Minnesota. She grew up in a small and peaceful town. Not much is publicly known about her parents or siblings, as she has always kept her family life very private.

She attended Anoka High School in Minnesota, where she completed her early education. After high school, she went to Augsburg College, also in Minnesota. Augsburg is well known for its focus on community service and helping others. This is likely where Rishia developed her deep desire to support people in need.

Her education was not flashy or famous, but it was solid and meaningful. It prepared her for a career that was all about helping others, not about seeking attention.

Career: A Life Spent Helping Others

Rishia Haas built her career around service. Her first jobs were simple administrative and retail roles. One of her early positions was at a cooking school store in Minnesota. This job turned out to be more important than just a paycheck, because it is where she would eventually meet Andrew Zimmern.

Over time, Rishia moved into more meaningful work. She became an Admissions Coordinator at The Retreat, a recovery center in Minnesota that offers an alternative alcohol treatment program. In this role, she helped people who were fighting addiction. She guided them, supported them, and made their journey to recovery a little easier.

Later, she joined the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation as an administrative assistant. This is one of the most respected drug and alcohol treatment centers in the United States, located in Center City, Minnesota. Her work here showed her patience, compassion, and strong work ethic.

What makes Rishia’s career special is that she was not just doing a job. She was genuinely helping people during some of the hardest moments of their lives. That kind of work takes heart, and Rishia clearly has a lot of it.

After her divorce, Rishia also took up an interesting hobby. She joined the University of Minnesota Bee Lab and became involved in beekeeping. This shows her love of nature and her desire to stay connected to her community in calm and meaningful ways.

How She Met Andrew Zimmern

The story of how Rishia Haas and Andrew Zimmern met is simple but sweet. Around 1999 to 2000, Rishia was working at the store connected to a cooking school in Minnesota. Andrew Zimmern was teaching cooking classes at the same school.

They slowly got to know each other. They shared a love of food, kindness, and helping the community. Even though Andrew was about 20 years older than Rishia, their connection felt real and natural. The age difference did not matter to them. What mattered was how well they understood each other.

At the time they met, Andrew was still rebuilding his life. He had gone through very dark years, including homelessness, drug addiction, and alcohol dependency. He had moved to Minnesota from New York in 1992 and entered a rehabilitation facility to get clean. Rishia came into his life during a period when he was still healing, and she offered him steady love and support.

The Marriage: Love, Family, and Challenges

After dating for a couple of years, Rishia Haas and Andrew Zimmern got married on December 26, 2002, in Minneapolis. Their wedding was small, private, and personal. No cameras, no big event, just close family and a lot of love.

In 2005, they welcomed their son, Noah Zimmern. This was one of the happiest times in their lives. Noah became the center of their world, and both parents loved him deeply.

However, life was not always easy. As Andrew’s career grew, so did the distance between them. His show, Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern, launched on the Travel Channel in 2006, and it became a massive success. Andrew started traveling the world regularly to film episodes. He was always on the road.

While Andrew was away building his TV career, Rishia stayed home in Minnesota. She raised Noah, managed the household, and continued her work. She was the steady force behind the scenes.

Andrew has admitted publicly that he was not there for his family the way he should have been. In one interview, he said: “My wife gave me a thousand chances to make it right.” He also shared that fans would sometimes push past his wife and son just to get to him, which was stressful and hurtful for the family.

Despite these challenges, Rishia stayed committed. She was patient and loyal. But over time, the long separations and Andrew’s demanding schedule took a toll on the marriage.

The Divorce: A Quiet and Respectful Ending

In 2018, after nearly 16 years of marriage, Rishia Haas and Andrew Zimmern officially finalized their divorce. The reason most often mentioned is that Andrew’s constant travel and media career left little room for family life.

What is impressive about this divorce is how it was handled. It was not messy or full of drama. Both Rishia and Andrew kept things private and focused on what mattered most: their son, Noah. They chose to co-parent together with respect and care.

Andrew has spoken about the divorce with honesty. He said publicly that the separation was largely his fault for not being present enough. He also expressed his deep respect for Rishia as a mother. On Mother’s Day 2020, he wrote on Instagram: “And then there is @therishia, the bravest mom I know. Full stop. She walks through fires for our son.”

These words show that even after the marriage ended, the respect and appreciation between them remained. That kind of ending to a marriage says a lot about the character of both people involved.

Life After Divorce: Finding Peace on Her Own Terms

After the divorce, Rishia Haas did not seek attention or try to use her connection to Andrew for personal gain. Instead, she continued the same quiet, purposeful life she had always lived.

She kept her residence in Edina, Minnesota, where she feels comfortable and at home. She focused on raising Noah, continuing her work in recovery support, and enjoying her personal interests like gardening, cooking, and beekeeping.

Rishia has not been publicly linked to any new romantic relationship since the divorce. She does not appear on social media in a public way. She prefers real life over the internet, real relationships over followers.

Her beekeeping work with the University of Minnesota Bee Lab has also grown into a genuine passion. It speaks to her love of nature and community. She participates in educational programs and gives back in her own peaceful way.

Her Role as a Mother

One of the most important parts of Rishia’s life is being a mother to Noah Zimmern. Born in 2005, Noah is now a young adult. Rishia has always made sure that he grows up in a stable, loving, and protected environment.

Even after the divorce, Rishia and Andrew continue to co-parent Noah with care and respect. Andrew has spoken about Noah with great love on social media. But through it all, it is clear that Rishia has been the steady, grounded parent at home.

As Andrew himself said, she is “the bravest mom” he knows. That is perhaps the most honest compliment he could ever give her.

Net Worth and Financial Life

Rishia Haas has built her financial stability through her own career and her life with Andrew. Her estimated net worth is between $3 million and $5 million. This comes from her years of work in administrative and recovery support roles, as well as the financial settlement from her divorce.

She has never been known for extravagant spending or a flashy lifestyle. She lives modestly and comfortably in Minnesota, focused more on meaning than money.

What Makes Rishia Haas Inspiring?

In a world that constantly rewards people for being loud, dramatic, or famous, Rishia Haas stands out by being none of those things. She is quiet. She is humble. She is kind.

She supported a man through some of the darkest years of his life. She raised a son while managing a household largely on her own. She built a career around helping people who were struggling. And when her marriage ended, she handled it with grace and dignity.

She never tried to use Andrew’s fame to make herself famous. She never sold her story to tabloids. She just kept living, kept helping, and kept being herself.

That is rare. And that is inspiring.

Final Thoughts

Rishia Haas is not a celebrity. She is not on TV. She does not have millions of followers. But her life tells a story that many people can connect with.

She is a woman who loved deeply, gave generously, and chose peace over fame. She raised her son with care, supported her husband through his darkest days, and built a career out of helping others heal. When her marriage ended, she did not fall apart. She kept going, quietly and with dignity.

In a noisy world full of attention-seekers, Rishia Haas reminds us that some of the most meaningful lives are lived simply and privately. Her story is not about fame. It is about strength, love, and choosing to live with purpose.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Who is Rishia Haas? Rishia Haas is an American woman born on July 29, 1973, in Champlin, Minnesota. She is best known as the ex-wife of celebrity chef and TV host Andrew Zimmern. She has a background in administrative work and addiction recovery services.

2. When did Rishia Haas and Andrew Zimmern get married? They got married on December 26, 2002, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Their wedding was a small and private ceremony with close family.

3. Why did Rishia Haas and Andrew Zimmern divorce? The couple divorced in 2018 after nearly 16 years of marriage. Andrew has publicly stated that his very busy travel schedule and demanding media career made it difficult for him to be present for his family. He has taken responsibility for the marriage ending.

4. Do Rishia Haas and Andrew Zimmern have children? Yes. They have one son together, Noah Zimmern, who was born in 2005. Both Rishia and Andrew continue to co-parent Noah with love and respect.

5. Where does Rishia Haas live now? Rishia currently lives in Edina, Minnesota. She has always preferred life in Minnesota and has stayed there throughout and after her marriage to Andrew.

6. What does Rishia Haas do for work? She has worked in administrative roles and in addiction recovery support, including positions at The Retreat recovery center and the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation. She has also taken up beekeeping with the University of Minnesota Bee Lab.

7. Is Rishia Haas active on social media? No. Rishia prefers a private life and is not publicly active on social media platforms. She values real-life connections over online presence.

8. Has Rishia Haas remarried after her divorce? As of 2025, Rishia Haas has not remarried. She has not been publicly linked to any new romantic relationship since her divorce from Andrew Zimmern.

9. What is Rishia Haas’s net worth? Her estimated net worth is between $3 million and $5 million. This is based on her career earnings and her divorce settlement. She lives a modest and comfortable life in Minnesota.

10. How did Rishia Haas and Andrew Zimmern meet? They met around 1999 to 2000 at a cooking school in Minnesota. Rishia was working in the school’s store, and Andrew was teaching cooking classes there. They got to know each other slowly, and their shared values brought them together.

Stay connected for the latest news and updates on, Flash Pioneer