Food Network star Darnell Ferguson charged with burglary, strangulation, assault

Food Network star and host of “Superchef Grudge Match” Darnell Ferguson 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, the St. Matthews Police Department 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 him 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.”

Ferguson has appeared on TODAY several times, as recently as December 2023. He also appeared on OWN’s “The Big Holiday Food Fight” and “Food Fantasies.”

Ferguson has a non-profit called SuperChef’s CAPE and is the host of Food Network’s “Superchef Grudge Match,” a reality competition where 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 on Wednesday.

This story first appeared on NBCNews.com.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com