Kathy Wakile
{{short description|American reality television personality (born 1965)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{infobox person
| name = Kathy Wakile
| image =
| caption = Wakile in 2011
| birth_name = Katherina Pierri
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1965|10|4}}
| birth_place = Paterson, New Jersey, U.S.
| children = 2
| other_names =
| nationality =
| occupation = Television personality, entrepreneur, pastry chef
| years_active = 2011–present
| known_for = Television personality; The Real Housewives of New Jersey on Bravo
| spouse = {{marriage|Richard Wakile|1993}}
| relatives = Teresa Giudice (cousin)
}}
Katherina Wakile (née Pierri; born October 4, 1965) is an American reality television personality. She starred in the Bravo series The Real Housewives of New Jersey, which features the lives of her and her family members.
Early life
Wakile was born October 4, 1965, in New Jersey. She has a younger sister, Rosie, and three brothers.
Wakile resides in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, with her husband of over 20 years, Richard "Rich" Wakile, an owner/operator of NJ gas stations, and their two children, Victoria (b. 1994) and Joseph (b. 1996).{{cite web|url=http://www.nj.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2016/07/watch_take_a_virtual_tour_of_rhonj_star_kathy_waki.html|title='RHONJ' star Kathy Wakile offers virtual tour of new Franklin Lakes home|website=NJ.com|first=Sydney|last=Shaw|date=January 4, 2016|accessdate=April 13, 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/kathy-wakile-building-new-home-new-memories|title=Kathy Wakile Is Ready to Make New Memories in Her New Home|website=Bravo|first=Jocelyn|last=Vera|date=January 4, 2016|accessdate=April 13, 2017}} Kathy and Victoria frequently participate in events that raise awareness for brain cancer, an illness they take close to heart, as Victoria underwent two operations to remove a benign brain tumor.{{cite web|url=http://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/kathy-wakiles-daughter-victoria-health-update|title=Kathy Wakile's Daughter Victoria is "Celebrating Life" After Her Latest Health Scare|website=Bravo|first=Laura|last=Rosenfeld|date=September 28, 2016|accessdate=April 13, 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.bravotv.com/the-daily-dish/kathy-wakile-daughter-victoria-reflects-on-her-past-health-scare-after-graduating-college|title=Kathy Wakile's Daughter Reflects on Past Health Scare After Graduating College|website=Bravo|first=Laura|last=Rosenfeld|date=May 16, 2016|accessdate=April 13, 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.nj.com/onlinegamblingnj/index.ssf/2017/05/kathy_wakiles_partnership_with.html|title=Kathy Wakile's partnership with PalaCasino.com benefits Children's Brain Tumor Foundation|website=NJ.com|author=Imest|date=May 18, 2017|accessdate=May 22, 2017}}
Career
Wakile joined the show's third season in May 2011.{{cite news|url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20481566,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110416200043/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20481566,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 16, 2011|title=Real Housewives of New Jersey Returns – with New Ladies!|work=People|date=April 13, 2011|accessdate=December 12, 2016}} She was put in the middle of confrontations between her cousin Teresa Giudice and her cousin-in-law Melissa Gorga. Wakile's main storylines concern her kids growing up, her daughter’s health issues, and her wish to open a restaurant one day. In Season 3, Wakile feuded with Teresa and also had difficulties getting to know Caroline Manzo due to the latter’s allegiance with the former. In Season 4, Wakile's conflict with Teresa continues. Her sister Rosie, who is gay, has also been featured on the show and gained a following due to her story of being different and coming out.{{cite web|title=The Real Housewives of New Jersey, Season 4|url=https://itunes.apple.com/au/tv-season/real-housewives-new-jersey/id517303566|website=iTunes|publisher=Apple Inc.|accessdate=December 12, 2016}} Wakile also appeared in the fifth season of the show and this season saw the repair of many friendships including the relationship between Wakile and Teresa.{{cite web|last=Takeda|first=Allison|title=See The Real Housewives of New Jersey's Cast Picture From Season Five|url=http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/see-the-real-housewives-of-new-jerseys-cast-picture-from-season-five-201334|work=Us Weekly|date=April 3, 2013|accessdate=December 12, 2016}} In May 2014, it was announced Wakile would not return for the series’ sixth season, but would make periodic appearances throughout. She was credited as a "Friend of the Housewives" for seasons 6 and 7.{{cite web|url=http://www.eonline.com/news/541924/real-housewives-of-new-jersey-s-kathy-wakile-breaks-silence-on-no-longer-being-a-housewife-in-season-6|title=Real Housewives of New Jersey's Kathy Wakile Breaks Silence on No Longer Being a Housewife in Season 6|last1=Becker|first1=Tierney|last2=Sobol|first2=Beth|publisher=E! NBCUniversal|date=May 14, 2014|accessdate=December 12, 2016}}
Aside from appearing on the series, she has introduced three product lines since joining the show, including Dolci Della Dea, which includes a cannoli kit,{{cite web|url=http://www.qvc.com/Dolci-della-Dea-24-piece-Gourmet-Cannoli-Kit.product.M29473.html|title=Dolci della Dea 24-piece Gourmet Cannoli Kit|website=QVC|accessdate=April 13, 2017}} Goddess Eye Jewelry, a jewelry line which gives portion of the sales to the National Brain Tumor Society,{{cite web |title=Bio |url=http://www.kathywakile.com/|work=KathyWakile.com}}{{cite web|url=http://www.bravotv.com/the-real-housewives-of-new-jersey/season-4/bio/kathy-wakile|work=bravotv.com|title=Bio: Kathy Wakile: Cast; Real Housewives of New Jersey|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105125439/http://www.bravotv.com/the-real-housewives-of-new-jersey/season-4/bio/kathy-wakile|archivedate=November 5, 2013}}{{cite web|accessdate=July 5, 2012|work=bergen.com| title='Housewive'[sic] Sighting: Kathy Wakile unveils new charitable jewelry line at Raffsonni Galleries in Hackensack| url=http://www.bergen.com/people/Housewive_Sighting_Kathy_Wakile_unveils_new_charitable_jewelry_line_at_Raffsonni_Galleries_in_Hackensack.html}} and Red Velvet Cosmo, a ready-to-pour cocktail. Red Velvet Cosmo is based on one of her favorite desserts, red velvet cake.{{cite web|url=http://www.bravotv.com/the-real-housewives-of-new-jersey/season-4/bio/kathy-wakile|work=bravotv.com|title=Bio: Kathy Wakile: Cast; Real Housewives of New Jersey|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105125439/http://www.bravotv.com/the-real-housewives-of-new-jersey/season-4/bio/kathy-wakile|archivedate=November 5, 2013}} The drink won a medal in a national tasting competition.{{cite web|url=http://www.paramuspost.com/article.php/20120228155309676|work=Paramus Post|title=Red Velvet Cosmo Introduced By Kathy Wakile of 'The Real Housewives of New Jersey'|author=Fabrikant, Mel|date=February 28, 2012|accessdate=July 5, 2012|archive-date=March 31, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331150311/http://www.paramuspost.com/article.php/20120228155309676|url-status=dead}} Wakile has also written a cookbook Indulge: Delicious Little Desserts That Keep Life Real Sweet.{{cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/kathy-wakile-pens-new-dessert-cookbook-article-1.1920537|title=Kathy Wakile of 'Real Housewives of New Jersey' pens a new dessert cookbook|website=New York Daily News|first=Sherryl|last=Connelly|date=August 31, 2014|accessdate=April 13, 2017}}
In May 2017, Wakile announced she would be opening up a restaurant in Bergen County, New Jersey, alongside her husband Rich. Titled Pizza Love, it will specialize in pizza, Italian and Mediterranean food, as well as desserts.{{cite web|url=http://www.northjersey.com/story/entertainment/2017/05/06/real-housewives-star-open-restaurant-bergen-county/312272001/|title=Real Housewives star to open restaurant in Bergen County|website=NorthJersey.com|first=Michael|last=W. Curley Jr.|date=May 6, 2017|accessdate=May 6, 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.nj.com/entertainment/celebrities/index.ssf/2017/05/kathy_wakile_rhonj_restaurant.html|title=Hold the drama: Former 'RHONJ' star Kathy Wakile opening Italian restaurant|website=nj.com|first=Vicki|last=Hyman|date=May 8, 2017|accessdate=May 8, 2017}} It opened in September 2017.{{cite web|url=http://www.nj.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2017/09/pizza_love_kathy_wakile_real_housewives_of_new_jer.html|title=Reality bites: Former 'RHONJ' star opens N.J. pizza restaurant|website=nj.com|first=Amy|last=Kuperinsky|date=September 28, 2017|accessdate=September 29, 2017}}
Bibliography
- Indulge: Delicious Little Desserts That Keep Life Real Sweet (St. Martin's Griffin, September 2, 2014) 978-1-250-05126-4
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|1798613}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wakile, Kathy}}
Category:People from Wayne, New Jersey
Category:American cookbook writers
Category:American women restaurateurs