Food Network’s Darnell Ferguson is being charged with felony strangulation and burglary, along with multiple misdemeanor offenses.
Darnell “SuperChef” Ferguson found himself in hot water in Kentucky, facing a series of serious charges that led to his arrest.
On Tuesday (Jan. 9) afternoon, Ferguson was officially booked into the Louisville Metro jail on two felony counts: burglary and strangulation, as confirmed by a representative from the correctional facility to TMZ.
Additionally, he is confronting five misdemeanor charges, including assault, menacing, criminal mischief, terroristic threatening, and theft receipt of stolen credit and debit card.
TMZ reported, “We don’t know yet the circumstances surrounding his legal troubles, but we’ve reached out to the Louisville Metro PD for answers.”
According to court records obtained by The New York Post, someone close to the reality star filed an emergency protection order against him on Jan. 2. The order was immediately granted, though it remains unclear whether the two cases are related.
Ferguson’s arrest follows the closure of his most recent business endeavor, “Tha Drippin Crab,” which had to shut down in 2022.
Ferguson’s Time On Food Network
Ferguson initially rose to fame as a regular on the Food Network, where his profile on their website characterized him as a “celebrity chef, restaurateur and entrepreneur.”
He participated in three seasons of Guy Fieri’s Tournament of Champions, a culinary competition that brings together top chefs from around the world to compete against each other in cooking challenges.
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Before his arrest, Ferguson served as the host of SuperChef Grudge Match, which began its second season just last month. He consistently enriched the online culinary community by sharing recipes and cooking videos through the show’s social media channels.
https://youtu.be/pP-EyGjBlII?si=CIZD0CiQvdFk-Ko6
Following that, he made appearances on various shows, including “Home Town Takeover” and “The Big Holiday Food Fight,” as well as “Chopped,” “Supermarket Stakeout,” and “Tiny Food Fight.”
Fun fact: Ferguson attended Sullivan University in Louisville, Kentucky, where he was selected with a group of 20 student chefs who cooked for Team USA in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China.
Not The First Time Ferguson Has Encountered Legal Issues
Upon returning to the United States after the 2008 Olympics, he faced a series of arrests related to drug selling, leading to six incarcerations. Following his final stint in jail, Ferguson made a commitment to avoid further legal issues and found solace by becoming part of a church community.
Experiencing eviction and a period of living in his car, he later rebounded by establishing his pop-up restaurant in Louisville in 2012. His television career began in 2015, sparked by an initial appearance on local news and subsequent recognition on The Rachel Ray Show, where he shared the transformative story of his journey from drug dealing to restaurant ownership.
Unfortunately, it seems that Ferguson was unable to uphold his commitment.
He is currently scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 17.