For a long time, Stefano Zarrella (35) was primarily one thing: the little brother of singer and host Giovanni Zarrella (48) and part of a prominent family that became famous through music, television, and public appearances. Today, his name has long stood for its own brand. With 2.6 million followers on Instagram (as of July 2026), Stefano Zarrella is one of the most successful German food and lifestyle creators - and has left his former status as "brother of" behind.
While Giovanni Zarrella gained a foothold in the music business early on and later became successful as a host of major ZDF shows, Stefano had to find his own path. The public perception of the family was long shaped by Giovanni and his wife Jana Ina Zarrella (49). Jana Ina, herself a model, host, and entrepreneur, is followed by around one million people on Instagram today. Giovanni reaches about 500,000 people on the platform.
Stefano Zarrella has never made a secret of the fact that his older brother Giovanni was an important role model for him for a long time. In an interview with "Gala", he said: "Giovanni has always been a role model for me." Especially in the time after high school, when he was professionally uncertain, his brother helped him: "I'm incredibly grateful to have Giovanni. He's the type of brother who always has an open ear."
Stefano Zarrella cooks his way forward
Stefano's breakthrough came through the stove. With simple, accessible cooking videos, he built up a large community. His strength: He made cooking less complicated and combined recipes with entertainment, everyday life, and personal closeness.
Zarrella has emphasized multiple times in interviews that cooking is far more than social media content for him. "I want to show that cooking is fun and that you can share this happiness with family and friends", he said in 2021 in a conversation with "Web.de". When asked about a possible TV career, he also explained at the time: "If a TV request came along that I could stand behind - then I would definitely be on board." This development has since become reality.
He started his Instagram account as early as 2012. However, he only became known to a broad public many years later. During the coronavirus pandemic starting in 2020, he began regularly sharing simple recipes. In his videos, he cooked, danced, and showed glimpses into his life. His then-relationship with former "GNTM" contestant (2021) Romina Palm (27) was also part of the clips.
In the summer of 2021, Stefano Zarrella proposed to her in Rome. Palm subsequently published pictures of the engagement on Instagram, including the engagement ring and a simple "YES". The post is no longer available today. The couple separated in 2023. The public attention surrounding his private life intensified interest in Stefano Zarrella as the person behind the cooking videos.
From food influencer to entrepreneur
With growing reach, Stefano Zarrella developed from recipe creator to entrepreneur and media personality. He published his own cookbooks, collaborated with brands, and expanded his presence beyond social media. According to his own statements, there is significantly more work behind the often uncomplicated-looking cooking videos than many suspect. In an interview with "Leos Universum", Zarrella explained: "It always looks so easy, of course, but there's a lot of time and passion behind it." Depending on the recipe or format, the production of a video can take between one and four hours.
As with many successful influencers, his content also changed over time. Today, his channels are no longer exclusively about recipes, but about his everyday life with dog Rocky, his beloved family of origin, his friends, and personal topics. The open handling of health challenges such as his psoriasis, which he says he has suffered from since childhood, also became part of his public story. The cooking channel became a lifestyle format in which not just the recipe, but the person Stefano Zarrella is at the center.
In the joint Zarrella podcast "Tutto Bene" Stefano today speaks much more reflectively about his professional path. Big goals are important to him, but at the same time it's no longer just about reach for him, but about bringing people together with his projects - for example at his cooking classes, where strangers often quickly become a community.
Zarrella also spoke openly about dealing with setbacks. After a stress fracture in his foot, he said in a talk with his brother: "I only take one substance - and it's called sports." At the same time, he explained that setbacks for him didn't mean giving up goals, but at most postponing their timing.
Media personality in television and film projects
Stefano Zarrella has been active in various television and film projects in recent years. In 2021, he voiced the character "Ciccio" in the animated film "Luca". At the end of 2022, he won the third edition of the "TV total Autoball WM" and also appeared in the series "Unter uns". In 2023, he was seen as a substitute for TV chef Armin Roßmeier (b. 1949) on "ZDF-Fernsehgarten" and played a role in the cinema comedy "Trauzeugen". In 2024, he participated in the dance show "Let's Dance" and placed tenth together with his dance partner Mariia Maksina (28).
On Monday (July 20), Stefano Zarrella can be seen at 8:15 p.m. in the TV documentary "Der SAT.1-Fertiggerichte-Check! Familienklassiker aus der Tiefkühltruhe". The show is about the question of how lasagna, gyros, or fish dishes from the freezer can be enhanced culinarily with professional tricks.
Despite his own successful career, Stefano Zarrella still emphasizes the close connection to his brother today. In a joint "RTL" interview, he explained: "We're really a good team and can always count on each other." At the same time, he highlighted how much he learned from Giovanni about dealing with the public and media.
