Food Network star Darnell Ferguson, the host of “Superchef Grudge Match,” was arrested Tuesday in Kentucky on a warrant related to a domestic violence case, police said.
Ferguson was charged with burglary, strangulation, assault, terroristic threatening, menacing, criminal mischief and theft of a stolen debit or credit card, St. Matthews police said in a statement Wednesday.
Authorities said that because of the sensitive nature of the case, they could not comment further.
Ferguson’s attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.
NBC affiliate WAVE of Louisville reported that an emergency protective order filed against Ferguson alleges that he entered a woman’s home without permission, choked her and threatened to kill her.
Ferguson is described as a celebrity chef, restaurateur and entrepreneur on the Food Network website. He competed on three seasons of “Tournament of Champions,” hosted by Guy Fieri, and is a frequent judge on “Chopped” and “Guy’s Grocery Games.”
He also appeared on OWN’s “The Big Holiday Food Fight” and “Food Fantasies.”
Ferguson, who has a nonprofit organization called SuperChef’s CAPE, is the host of Food Network’s “Superchef Grudge Match,” a reality competition in which chefs from across the country “settle personal and professional disputes with their foes in a one-round, one-dish, winner-takes-all heavyweight battle.”
A spokesperson for Food Network did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.
