urt ka , ▁though ▁not ▁the ▁bi ological ▁father ▁of ▁his ▁ex ▁Lane ▁J anger ' s ▁children , ▁who ▁had ▁also ▁been ▁born ▁via ▁sur rog ate , ▁remained ▁close ▁to ▁them ▁over ▁the ▁years . ▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁passage ▁of ▁the ▁Mar riage ▁Equ ality ▁Act ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁on ▁June ▁ 2 4 , ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁B urt ka ▁and ▁Harris ▁announced ▁their ▁eng agement , ▁stating ▁that ▁they ▁had ▁proposed ▁to ▁each ▁other ▁five ▁years ▁earlier ▁but ▁had ▁kept ▁the ▁eng agement ▁secret ▁until ▁same - sex ▁marriage ▁became ▁legal ▁in ▁their ▁state . ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁Harris , ▁B urt ka ▁quit ▁acting ▁full - time ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁professional ▁chef . ▁He ▁graduated ▁from ▁Le ▁C ordon ▁Ble u ▁College ▁of ▁C ul inary ▁Arts ▁Pas ad ena ▁in ▁the ▁summer ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 9 ; ▁afterwards , ▁he ▁began ▁running ▁a ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁c ater ing ▁company ▁which ▁he ▁called ▁" G our met ▁M . D ." ▁B urt ka ▁did ▁continue ▁to ▁act , ▁including ▁in ▁It ▁Should a ▁Be en ▁You ▁on ▁Broadway ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 5 . ▁ ▁B urt ka ' s ▁first ▁cook book , ▁Life ▁is ▁a ▁Party , ▁a ▁collection ▁of ▁reci pes ▁and ▁tips ▁on ▁entertain ing , ▁was ▁published ▁in ▁April ▁ 2 0 1 9 . ▁ ▁Film ography ▁ ▁Film ▁ ▁Television ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁ ▁L GB T ▁culture ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁ ▁List