Everything You'd Ever Want to Know About Martha Stewart

Martha Stewart has been a household name for more than five decades. She taught millions of Americans how to entertain like pros (and have fun while they're at it). Not only that, but she has published multiple best-selling books, launched a successful media company and hosted two syndicated shows.

While discussing how she built her massive empire on her official website, she said, "I always say that it just 'happened.' It happened, but not without years of hard work and dedication, not without constant retooling of my peculiar and intense self-education in all things that pique my curiosity, and not without complete immersion in the idea of home and the vast subject of what I call 'living.'"

Now, the homemaking expert and entrepreneur continues to share her genius tips with the world, from Halloween party hosting ideas to fall decor hacks. And of course, I can't forget about her tell-all Netflix documentary, Martha, which made countless headlines in 2024 and has an 89 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. From her career beginnings to her business ventures and staggering net worth, keep reading for all the details on lifestyle queen Martha Stewart.

Fast Facts

• Hometown: Jersey City, New Jersey
• Birthday: August 3, 1941
• Spouse: Andrew Stewart ​(1961-1990)
• Children: Alexis Stewart
• Star Sign: Leo

Early Life & Rise to Fame

Martha Stewart was born to her parents Martha and Edward Kostyra in Jersey City in 1941. The second-oldest of six children, she started out as a babysitter for the kids of Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle and Gil McDougal—all of whom played for the New York Yankees. Stewart also turned to modeling while attending Nutley High School, appearing in magazines and TV commercials during the '50s and '60s, per her official website.

After high school, she left New Jersey and moved to New York to attend Barnard College, where she studied History and Architectural History. During her time there, she continued to model, working for brands like Chanel, Breck, Clairol and Lifebuoy Soap. But aside from juggling her studies with modeling, Stewart also struck up a romance with her future husband, Andrew Stewart. (More on this later.)

After graduating from college, Stewart pursued a career as a stockbroker and, in 1970, she and her husband purchased their first home, Turkey Hill, in Westport, Connecticut. The New Jersey native renovated the historic farmhouse, which was later the model for the TV studio of Martha Stewart Living. And in 1976, Stewart bid farewell to Wall Street to start a catering company from her kitchen, which quickly became a success.

Cookbooks & Best Recipes

After catering at one of her husband's events in 1977, the queen of the kitchen developed her very first cookbook, Entertaining, in 1982, featuring her original recipes. The book was such a huge success that Stewart went on to publish 99 more (yes, you read that correctly), including Martha Stewart's Hors D'Oeuvres, Martha Stewart's Pies & Tarts, Special Occasions and most recently, Martha: The Cookbook, which includes 100 of her favorite recipes. Before starting her 100th title, the cookbook author took to Instagram and shared a photo of all 99 of her books.

She wrote, "I just stacked all my Martha Stewart books, all 99 of them plus foreign editions and paperback editions of hard covered volumes, in order to incentivize me to start writing my 100th book. This is very very exciting and very intimidating because it’s so hard to believe the amount of hard work, creativity and devoted efforts of so many talented colleagues who worked with me to make all these books over a period of forty one years plus."

In addition to putting out a massive collection of cookbooks, Stewart teamed up with Time Publishing Ventures to launch her quarterly magazine, Martha Stewart Living, in 1990, and four years later, she released her second magazine, Martha Stewart Weddings. In 1997, she founded Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia and bought out her contract with Time Inc., taking full ownership of both publications.

Movies & TV Shows

Chances are you've spotted Stewart whipping up a few tasty meals (likely with a famous guest) on one of her two syndicated shows. First, she hosted Martha Stewart Living, which ran from 1993 to 2004, and from 2005 to 2012, The Martha Stewart Show.

Martha Stewart Living was a weekly lifestyle program inspired by her magazine—and her mother, Martha Kostyra, was a frequent guest. Meanwhile, the latter included a variety of segments about cooking, crafting, gardening and interior design. The show also featured a few celebrity guests, including the late Robin Williams.

Also, Stewart and her pal Snoop Dogg co-hosted a variety show called Martha & Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party, which aired on VH1 in November 2016 and had three successful seasons. The show featured several celebrities as guests, like Patti LaBelle, Kathy Griffin, Robin Thicke and Seth Rogen.

Since then, she has done multiple TV specials and shows, including Martha Knows Best, The Great American Tag Sale with Martha Stewart, Snoop and Martha's Very Tasty Halloween, Martha Holidays and Martha Cooks. You may have also seen her cameos in titles like Ellen, 3rd Rock From the Sun, Ugly Betty, 2 Broke Girls, Men in Black II and Bad Moms.

Personal Life

At just 19 years old and while still in college, Stewart tied the knot with Yale student Andrew Stewart in 1961. For the occasion, she donned a custom wedding gown she made with her mother, and the pair remained married until 1990.

In her Netflix documentary, Martha, the entrepreneur got candid about how their marriage ended, revealing that they were both unfaithful during the relationship.

Family & Children

Stewart and her ex-husband, Andrew, welcomed their only child, Alexis, in 1965, when Stewart was 45 years old. Alexis, now 59, followed in her mom's footsteps to become a television host and radio personality. You may recognize her from her Hallmark series, Whatever with Alexis and Jennifer, which was inspired by her radio show of the same name.

Martha has been vocal about her relationship with her daughter, revealing that while it has its ups and downs, their bond remains solid. She told People, “Our relationship has always been a difficult mother-daughter relationship. Difficult, but she would do anything for me, and I would do anything for her.”

The homemaking icon also shared that she passed down her cooking skills and said, “One thing Alexis learned from that was how to cook. She’s a phenomenal cook and baker. I tried to involve her in everything, but the minute she could leave home and go to boarding school, she did.”

When asked if her daughter ever comes to her for parenting advice, Stewart told Today in 2018, “Oh, she will not take any advice from me. Alexis? Are you kidding? She is the perfect mother. Those kids are so smart, so lovely, so advanced.”

Personal Style

Did you know that Stewart made her own clothes after her mom taught her how to sew? As a young model at Barnard College, she'd wear hand-made vintage dresses, but her look has evolved over the years—as you may have noticed from her many book and magazine covers.

I’ve always been quietly fashionable in a modest way.

Martha Stewart

She said in a statement, “I’ve always been quietly fashionable in a modest way. For Entertaining, it was a vintage dress, and I think the first five covers of my cookbooks were Laura Ashley.”

Stewart is known for her timeless and elegant monochromatic looks, but she's been quite vocal about how much she values quality and craftsmanship. She said, “I’ve always loved well-made clothes. My attic is chock-full of rack after rack of clothing. I have my first Armani suit that I bought when I started my own company, and some beautiful Armani blouses."

FYI, her elegant tastes are also noticeable in her home decor, from cozy accent pillows to silver displays.

Net Worth

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Stewart is worth an estimated $400 million, thanks to her growing media empire, brand partnerships and real estate investments. In addition to her TV shows, magazines and impressive book collection, the Jill of all trades has a wine partnership with 19 Crimes, a CBD gummy brand, her own clothing line (remember that puffer shirt jacket?), a New York-based coffee shop and a meal kit service with Marley Spoon—just to name a few of her many lucrative ventures. She has also partnered with brands like Kmart, Sears and Home Depot to launch multiple product lines, ranging from kitchenware and furniture to home decor.

Per Celebrity Net Worth, Stewart also boasts an impressive property portfolio, which is worth more than $100 million. In 2021, she sold a one-acre oceanfront property in New York for $16.5 million, and currently, she owns multiple units in a West Village building. The entrepreneur also owns a New York condo worth $12.3 million.

Career Achievements & Awards

To date, Stewart has earned 12 Daytime Emmy Awards (out of 23 nominations), including Outstanding Lifestyle Program and Outstanding Lifestyle/Culinary Host for The Martha Stewart Show. In 2018, she was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame, and in 2022, the self-made millionaire homemaker was featured on Forbes's 50 Over 50 list, joining the likes of Kris Jenner, Sandra Bullock and Dolly Parton. However, the star entrepreneur made several headlines when she made history with her Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Cover in May 2023. She was 81 years old at the time, which means she is the oldest model to ever be featured on the cover.

While chatting with Today about the project, she said, "I did say to the editors, 'I don't want to wear any old-lady bathing suits. I don't want little bows and stuff here and there, and cover-ups. I did not go for that look. I went for a nice, healthy, energized and, if you want to call it 'sexy,' sort of sexy look."

She also noted that the cover may inspire others to worry less about aging and focus on possibilities, adding, "There shouldn't be any limits. Set your limits higher than you think. Embrace the past but absolutely look towards the future and reimagine what you can do."