Bethenny Frankel was born on November 4, 1970 in New York City. She was the only child to Robert J. Frankel and Bernadette Burke. Frankel has been quoted in numerous interviews and describes her childhood as abnormal. Bethenny remembers her childhood being filled with abuse, eating disorder, and chaos. Her father’s career was consumed with horses and race tracks, and when Bethenny was 4, he walked out on his family. She remained fatherless until her mother remarried another horse trainer. Even with a new father figure, Frankel’s childhood was troublesome. Because of her detrimental childhood, she had an on going battle with an eating disorder during her teenage years.
After graduating high school in Florida, Bethenny moved back to New York to attend college. She graduated from New York University with a bachelor’s degree in communications and psychology. Like most college graduates, Frankel did not know where life would take her. She decided that Los Angeles would be the perfect place to start her career. First, she wanted to be an actress, but rounds of rejection had her shooting for a career in event planning. Realizing event planning wasn’t her forte, Bethenny moved back to New York to attend the Natural Gourmet Institute and Culinary Arts, where she learned healthy food options and recipes.
BethennyBakes, LLC. was born after culinary school. Bethenny’s first business catered to New York City’s health-conscious elite. The Apprentice: Martha Stewart edition cast Bethenny as a contestant. Although, only winning second place, Bethenny had an endorsement deal with Pepperidge Farm and wrote monthly columns for a Health magazine. Stardom seemed to rise quickly for the captivating chef. Bravo TV cast Bethenny as a housewife in the reality series The Real Housewives of New York. Witty one liners and an eccentric personality turned Bethenny Frankel into a household name, and she’s remained so ever since.
The success of the RHONY helped showcase Bethenny’s love for healthy food and living. Viewers got to see what she cooked and how she stayed fit. Bethenny published two self help books, “Naturally Thin: Unleash Your SkinnyGirl and Free Yourself from a Lifetime of Dieting” and “A Place of Yes: 10 Rules for Getting Everything You Want Out of Life.” She also published a recipe book called “The Skinnygirl Dish: Easy Recipes for Your Naturally Thin Life” and a novel “Skinnydipping.”
Her love for cocktails and natural eating shook up the cocktail industry. Business skyrocketed for Bethenny because people could consume their favorite cocktail with half the calories. Bethenny launched Skinnygirl, her own line of cocktails, healthy, and lifestyle products. Recently, Skinnygirl has released yoga DVDs. The DVDs consist of Bethenny demonstrating how she stays in shape with a yoga routine. Skinnygirl product sales made Bethenny into a multi-million dollar empire.
In late 2024, Bethenny left The Real Housewives franchise and started taping for Bethenny Gets Married? showcasing her new life without the drama of the housewives. Bethenny married Jason Hoppy in 2024, thus changing her show’s name to “Bethenny Ever After.” Following her marriage in May 2024, Bethenny gave birth to her first child, Bryn Casey Hoppy.
Bethenny is living in New York City with her family, enjoying her cocktails, doing yoga, steering clear of drama while running a million-dollar business. There are rumors that Bethenny will be hosting a new talk show. Watch out world, there is more this mogul has to offer.