Food Network Star Darnell Ferguson Has Been Arrested — Here's What We Know
If you're one of Food Network's many avid watchers, you're probably familiar with "Superchef" Darnell Ferguson. According to WDRB, the celebrity chef was arrested on January 9 and was booked on charges of burglary, strangulation, assault, terroristic threatening, and menacing. While the name of the alleged victim hasn't been released, an Order for Emergency Protection was entered against Ferguson on January 2 after an unnamed party filed a complaint that day.
Ferguson was arrested in Louisville and served the warrant by the St. Matthews Police Department. As of January 10, neither the police department nor the Food Network has issued any comment about the situation. Ferguson pled not guilty in court. His bail was set at $10,000 and came with a no-contact order. Next in the case will be a January 17 court appearance regarding the protective order, followed by a preliminary hearing on the morning of Thursday, January 18 (via WLKY).
Ferguson has many connections to Louisville. He attended Sullivan University and opened two restaurants in the city: "SuperChefs" and "The Drippin' Crab," both of which have closed their doors.
Ferguson's show, Superchef Grudge Match, just began its second season
Darnell Ferguson has appeared on everything from Guy Fieri's "Guy's Grocery Games" to "Worst Chefs in America" as a co-host. He's currently the host of "Superchef Grudge Match," which recently began its second season. His presence is so ubiquitous on the Food Network that the judge on his case, Anne Delahanty, offered to recuse herself, citing that she's not only eaten at his restaurants many times but that she regularly watches him on the Food Network with her children.
According to an updated report from WDRB, the alleged victim shares three children with Ferguson. The celebrity chef's attorney, Krishna Tibbs, also told Judge Anne Delahanty that he'd spoken with the alleged victim's attorney, Kelsea Hall, and that the alleged victim wanted to retract her statement that Ferguson strangled her. Assistant Jefferson County Attorney Cristin Southard was concerned about the alleged victim's desire to recant her statement and her refusal to press charges, but Southard claims this happens often. "Recantation, minimizing, those are all parts of the cycle of domestic violence," she said.
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.