Darnell Ferguson, aka “SuperChef,” has become a familiar face to fans of the Food Network on several shows guaranteed to make you hungry including Superchef Grudge Match, Guy Fieri’s Tournament of Champions and Worst Cooks in America. However, the celebrity chef now faces some serious accusations, as he was arrested January 9 for allegedly attacking his estranged wife after he reportedly broke into her home in Louisville, Kentucky.
TMZ reports that Darnell Ferguson was booked into the Louisville Metro Jail on felony counts of burglary and strangulation, as well as misdemeanor charges of assault, menacing, criminal mischief, terroristic threatening and theft receipt of stolen credit and debit card. The TV chef has reportedly pleaded not guilty to the charges, and bond was set for Ferguson at $10,000.
According to legal documents obtained by TMZ, Darnell Ferguson’s estranged wife called 911 to report that the Food Network star had broken into her home January 2, allegedly punching walls before coming for her. Ferguson reportedly lunged at the woman, grabbed her by the neck and threatened to kill her. The victim alleged that her estranged husband choked her until she passed out, and when she regained consciousness, she said he ripped off her shorts, reportedly causing her to fear sexual assault.
Before Darnell Ferguson left the house, according to the court filing, the estranged wife said he allegedly grabbed her credit cards and ID. Law enforcement officials who responded to the 911 call reportedly observed visible injuries on the alleged victim that they said was enough to arrest Ferguson on the charges listed above.
The 36-year-old entrepreneur and restaurant owner first appeared on the Food Network as a guest on The Rachael Ray Show in 2015, where the host introduced him to his idol Emeril Lagasse. Darnell Ferguson’s connections within the network grew, and he went on Guy’s Grocery Games in 2016.
Since then he has appeared on a number of cooking shows, returning to Guy’s Grocery Games as a judge and also offering his critiques on the network’s other cooking competition shows like Chopped and The Big Holiday Food Fight. Most recently, “SuperChef” was a co-host on Season 25 of Worst Cooks in America alongside Anne Burrell, and he also appeared on NBC's TODAY in November and December 2023. Food Network viewers also saw him last year on Outchef’d, Tournament of Champions and as the host of Superchef Grudge Match, whose second season premiered in December.
The Food Network has not released a statement regarding Darnell Ferguson’s arrest or how it will affect the 2024 TV schedule, though episodes of Superchef Grudge Match — which airs at 9 p.m. ET Tuesdays — are no longer available to stream on the network’s website, or to those with a Discovery+ or Max subscription. Other series that feature the chef, however, are still available.
The accusations against Darnell Ferguson by his estranged wife are extremely serious, so we’ll be keeping an eye on any further developments.
