Paul Cerrito is an award-winning businessman and entrepreneur married to model and "Baywatch" actress Yasmine Bleeth. Despite his successful businesses, he prefers life away from the spotlight and only became famous because of his wife.
Paul Cerrito has been married to Yasmine Bleeth since August 25, 2002, after dating for almost two years. Their wedding was private, with only close family and friends in attendance.
Before they tied the knot, the actress had been in several long-term relationships that did not pan out. However, it was her first time getting married, despite no news on whether it was the businessman's first marriage.
Paul Cerrito Has an Extensive Resumé Within the Food Industry
Cerrito's career revolves around the food and beverage industry. He attended Arizona State University in 1988, graduating with a "degree of hard knocks" focused on Hospitality Administration and Management in 1991.
Three years after graduation, he owned Jon Jon's Cabaret in Michigan and kept the place running for over 14 years. Shortly after closing his business, he became a freight broker for Strive Logistics LLC.
Almost two years later, he became the general manager for BodyFactory, a food and beverage services company in Hollywood. He held this position for one year before starting another business.
Portrait of Yasmine Bleeth circa 1997 in Los Angeles | Source: Getty Images
In 2014, Cerrito owned dEATroitLOCAL, a food and beverage consulting company. Besides food and beverage consulting, he also seemed to have become a life and relationship coach around this time. Despite starting this business, he never stopped working.
For six months in 2016, he was a managing partner for the European-style open-air market, Newport Beachside Market. In addition to running his business, he became a seafood manager at Monsieur Marcel Gourmet Market in 2019 and still holds this job.
He is a strong business development professional skilled in catering, operations management, retail, and sales. In 2020, he received a certificate as a restaurant manager and food and beverage manager from the UCLA Extension.
Portrait of Yasmine Bleeth for "Nash Bridges" on January 1, 1999, in Los Angeles | Source: Getty Images
Paul Cerrito Advocates to End Hunger in His Home City
Besides being grounded in the food and beverage industry, Cerrito is passionate about ending hunger around him and has started with Detroit, his home city.
His passion led him to open his business in 2014. The dEATroitLOCAL company aims to sell clothing, with the proceeds of each item helping to feed a hungry family of four daily.
The brand's introductory page on Facebook states: "Together, we WILL make a difference in homeless hunger in our great city." In June 2020, he solicited fans to purchase on the brand's now-defunct website.
Photo of Yasmine Bleeth for "Ryan's Hope" circa 1995 | Source: Getty Images
Paul Cerrito Owned a Club When He Met His Wife
Cerrito has proven that he has a business mind. When he first met Yasmine Bleeth, he reportedly owned a club in Michigan. However, they did not meet at his club.
They had met at a rehab clinic in Malibu. Their meeting became the start of their forever, and they tied the knot in Santa Barbara's Bacara resort barely two years later.
Their choice of wedding venue was also the same place where the actress Debra Messing married her producer and writer husband, Daniel Zelman, in December 2000.
Yasmine Bleeth and Paul Cerrito at the Carmen Electra and Dave Navarro engagement party on February 13, 2003, in California | Source: Getty Images
Bleeth and Cerrito's wedding was different from the usual celebratory affair most celebrities would have. For the couple, they kept things private with only 50 guests.
His wife already had a good relationship with his parents before they married. They were so close that she visited them almost one year before their wedding. During that visit, she got into trouble and was arrested for cocaine possession.
Photo of Yasmine Bleeth circa 1990 | Source: Getty Images
Cerrito and Bleeth rarely put their relationship on display for fans. However, the actress once spoke about meeting her husband and falling in love. She said:
"They say you shouldn't get into any relationship in the first year of sobriety—especially with someone in the program, but Paul and I fell in love immediately."
Portrait of Yasmine Bleeth circa 1995 in Los Angeles | Source: Getty Images
Paul Cerrito Has Been by His Wife's Side Through Her Ups and Downs
Bleeth, who starred in "Baywatch" alongside David Hasselhoff, Gregory Alan Williams, Pamela Anderson, Parker Stevenson, and others, has not had an easy life since she left the series.
She has battled with drug addiction over the years. However, her struggles did not rattle her husband or their marriage. Throughout the years, Cerrito has stayed by his wife's side.
Photo of Yasmine Bleeth for "Nash Bridges" on November 6, 1998, in Los Angeles | Source: Getty Images
In 2015, Cerrito and the former actress, who looked to be in better health, were spotted strolling. In the pictures taken by paparazzi, Bleeth stepped out in a pair of leggings and sneakers paired with a baggy grey vest and striped cardigan.
Her husband wore black track pants and a white v-neck t-shirt under a patterned grey hoodie. He also finished off his look with a pair of sneakers.
Although the actress and model looked different from when she was at the peak of her career, she looked happy and relaxed. The couple, who still live in Hollywood, seemed to enjoy their walk as they were photographed discussing, smiling, and at some point, they were holding hands.
Yasmine Bleeth at the Universal City premiere of "Basketball" on July 28, 1998, in California | Source: Getty Images
Their outing was also one of the few times fans had seen the actress since she stepped out of the spotlight after being reportedly fired from "Baywatch" in 1997. Since her career ended, she has been committed to living healthily.
In August 2022, the couple celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary. Despite being together for two decades, Bleeth and Cerrito reportedly do not have children.
They are content as fur parents to their dogs. According to her husband's Instagram bio on his private page, he loves dogs, and the actress has been seen walking their dog at some point.
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