Is Food Network Star Host Eddie Jackson Married? He Keeps His Personal Life Private

Now that it's officially fall, our favorite holiday-themed television content is well on its way — including the return of the beloved Food Network competition shows like Halloween Wars and Christmas Cookie Challenge, which are hosted by chef Eddie Jackson. But before the holidays officially kick off, Eddie is hosting a brand new show called Outchef'ed.

Naturally, viewers are curious to learn more about the host. Is Eddie married? And if so, who is his wife? Let's take a closer look at his relationship status.

When pro-footballer Eddie Jackson became a star on the Food Network, he won the hearts of fans around the country. Eddie’s first career as a pro-footballer started back in 2004, after he committed to the University of Arkansas. Over the next few years, Eddie played for a number of professional teams like the Carolina Panthers, the Miami Dolphins, and the Washington Redskins.

In 2008, after retiring from the game, Eddie became a personal trainer, but his father also encouraged him to pursue his other dream: cooking. Before he was even on the Food Network, Eddie owned and operated his own Caribbean grill-inspired food truck in Texas.

The former cornerback rose to culinary fame on the Food Network in 2015, after beating out a group of talented chefs on the Food Network Star. Eddie then went on to host a number of shows for the Food Network before landing the hosting gig on Christmas Cookie Challenge. 

Despite many years in the limelight, first for his accomplishments in football and then in the culinary world, the Food Network star has managed to keep his personal life pretty private. In 2015, after he was crowned the winner of Food Network Star, Eddie opened up to TV Line for the first and only time about how his girlfriend encouraged his culinary pursuits.

He said that he was watching television soon after moving to Houston when he saw the call to be on the show. He turned to his girlfriend and said, “I think I can do that,” to which she responded, “Then do it!” Eddie went to the audition and the rest, as they say, is history. 

At the time, Eddie and his girlfriend have a strong relationship and the couple doesn’t allow Eddie’s work in the public eye to affect them. When Eddie was on Food Network Star, his food wasn’t the only focal point for the judges. Many of them, especially the women, had a lot to say about Eddie's impressive physique.

But for all the attention that Eddie got on the show, he said that his girlfriend remained impressively “laid back” about being in the spotlight. It’s unclear whether Eddie and his unnamed love have since married but given how well she seemed to handle the fame and recognition from Eddie’s early successes on the Food Network, it would have probably been a wise move for him to put a ring on that finger.