Food Network star Alex Guarnaschelli announces her engagement to boyfriend Michael Castellon

Alex Guarnaschelli is engaged to chef boyfriend Michael Castellon after four years together.

The Food Network star announced the happy news on Saturday, which was also her birthday, with a picture of the stunning ring the Chopped champion presented her.

Showing off the stunning emerald and diamond ring, the 48-year-old wrote in the caption: ‘Ok @chermike808, you’re on!’

Alex dished to PEOPLE that while the couple are not in a rush to get married, she would love a big wedding. 

‘We’re not in any hurry, but I want to have a blowout,’ the Iron Chef America star said. ‘I want a tri-state rager.’

The chef also revealed the funny way her beau proposed, by taking advantage of her gullibility to pull off the surprise.

‘It’s funny, I think one of the reasons why we’re a couple, we’ve been together for four years, is because he’ll tell me anything and I’ll believe him,’ she laughed.

‘I get all worked up, and then he just starts laughing, and he does it all the time about anything.’

Alex described the moment on Saturday when the couple headed to a grocery store when she wanted to get more supplies for a gathering they were hosting for friends.

While on the drive Michael pulled the car over claiming he’d seen a stray dog which he then said was a baby deer. He lead the restaurateur out of the car to scenic spot with a windmill where he got down on one knee to pop the question. 

‘So I look and he’s like, “Do you see it?” And I’m like, “No, where’s the baby? You promised me a baby deer.”

‘And he goes, “There’s no deer.” I turn, and I look and he’s on one knee,’ 

‘And he said, “There’s no deer.” He’s like, “This is why I have to marry you because you just believe me every time.” He said, “Will you marry me?” and he gave me the ring.’ she recalled.

The couple met four years ago when Alex went to dinner with a friend at a restaurant where Michael worked. 

She knew a waiter there who introduced her to Michael after she gushed about how  amazing the steak was.

‘I went in to meet him and tell him the steak was delicious and that was it,’ she reminisced.

Alex, who is executive chef at New York City’s Butter restaurant, is mom to 12-year-old daughter Ava with ex-husband Brandon Clark who she split from in 2015.

On Sunday, which was Father’s Day, Alex took a moment to remember her late father, while also gushing about her fiance and showing off her ring – a family heirloom.

‘We chefs can be commitment phobes and I’ve been married before? I’m going to soak in a moment of true joy,’ she said on Instagram Stories.

‘I lost my dad almost two years ago. He would’ve liked to see this. @chefmike808 said he would’ve asked permission. I don’t know if my dad would’ve ever said ok to anyone,’ she joked, before adding, ‘He would be proud of @chefmike808 asking. Just miss my dad is all. We all experience loss and this is a joyous moment I share with my dad’s memory.’

Michael won season 35 of Chopped in 2017. Alex, who often appears on the show, was not a judge during his appearances. He has also appeared on Iron Chef America and Guy’s Grocery Games on the Food Network.