When you’re a prime-time news anchor, people naturally get curious about who you go home to after the cameras cut to black. For years, the answer to the question of who is alex wagner husband was Sam Kass. Honestly, for a long time, they were basically the "it-couple" of the D.C. and New York media circles.
You’ve probably seen Alex Wagner holding it down on MSNBC, but her former husband, Sam Kass, has a resume that’s just as high-profile, even if it involves more aprons and policy papers than teleprompters. He wasn't just some guy she met at a party; he was arguably the most famous chef in America for a decade.
Why Sam Kass Was More Than Just a Chef
Sam Kass isn't your typical restaurant cook. He grew up in Chicago—specifically the Hyde Park neighborhood—in a family that was already orbiting the world of education and science. His dad actually taught Malia Obama in the 5th grade. Talk about small worlds, right?
Kass eventually became the personal chef for the Obamas while they were still in Chicago. When they moved into the White House in 2009, he went with them. But he didn’t just make sandwiches. He was a Senior Policy Advisor for Nutrition Policy and the executive director of Michelle Obama's "Let’s Move!" campaign.
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Basically, if there was a vegetable garden on the South Lawn or a new rule about school lunches, Sam Kass probably had his hands in it. He was the first person in history to hold a position in both the Executive Office of the President and the Residence.
The Wedding That Stopped Traffic (Literally)
Alex and Sam got married on August 30, 2014. This wasn't some quiet backyard affair. They tied the knot at Blue Hill at Stone Barns, this incredibly posh farm-to-table restaurant in Pocantico Hills, New York.
And the guest list? It included the sitting President of the United States. Barack Obama, Michelle, and the girls all showed up. When the leader of the free world attends your wedding, you know you’ve made it. At the time, Vogue even called them one of the most influential couples in politics.
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A Quick Timeline of the Kass-Wagner Era:
- 2013: The couple gets engaged after dating for about a year.
- 2014: The star-studded wedding at Blue Hill happens.
- 2017: Their first son, Cyrus, is born.
- 2019: Their second son, Rafael, joins the family.
- 2025: News breaks that the couple has officially divorced.
What Happened Recently?
Life changes, and even the most high-powered couples hit a wall. In early 2025, it was confirmed that Alex Wagner and Sam Kass had divorced. It sort of took people by surprise because they always seemed so aligned in their "save the world" missions.
Since the split, Alex has stayed busy with her work at MSNBC and her podcasting ventures. Meanwhile, Sam has pivoted even deeper into the intersection of climate change and food. He recently released a book called The Last Supper: The Politics of the End of Food. It’s a pretty heavy look at how climate change is going to wipe out things we love—like coffee, wine, and chocolate—if we don't fix the food system.
He’s also a partner at Acre Venture Partners, a VC firm that invests in "disruptive" food tech. So, while he’s no longer "Alex Wagner's husband" in the legal sense, he’s still a massive player in the world of global food policy.
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The Reality of Raising Kids in the Spotlight
Despite the divorce, both Alex and Sam have been pretty vocal about co-parenting their two boys, Cy and Rafael. Back when they were living together on the North Fork of Long Island, Sam was famous for getting the kids out in the garden. He’d have them planting garlic and harvesting corn, trying to teach them that "real nourishment begins in the soil."
It's one of those things where you realize that no matter how much money or influence you have, trying to get a toddler to eat their greens is the great equalizer.
What You Should Know Now
If you’re looking for the TL;DR version of the who is alex wagner husband saga, here it is: Sam Kass is a Chicago-born history grad turned world-class chef and White House advisor. He’s a guy who changed how Americans think about salt, sugar, and school lunches.
The two of them were a powerhouse for over a decade. Even though they’ve gone their separate ways, their impact on media and food policy remains pretty significant.
Actionable Takeaways:
- Follow the Policy: If you're interested in why your cereal box looks the way it does, look up Sam's work on food labeling—he was the architect of much of it.
- Read the Books: For a deeper look at their individual perspectives, check out Alex’s book Futureface (about her ancestry) and Sam’s Eat a Little Better.
- Stay Updated: Both are still active in 2026. Alex is contributing heavily to Crooked Media, and Sam is a regular on the health podcast circuit, often appearing on The Dr. Hyman Show.
The story of Sam Kass and Alex Wagner is a reminder that even in the high-stakes world of D.C. politics and New York media, the most interesting parts are often what happens when the cameras aren't even on.