Hate To See It: Shocking arrest of Christian Celebrity 'SuperChef' Darnell Ferguson

Jan 10

Darnell Superchef Ferguson, (Photo Credit Tyndale House Publishers via EEW Magazine Online)

By Tyla Paris // Domestic Violence // EEW Magazine Online

With each new year comes new stories—some good, some bad. This one falls in the not so good category, and we honestly hate to see it.

Culinary personality and professing Christian, Darnell 'SuperChef' Ferguson, known for his affiliations with Food Network, was shockingly arrested on a myriad of charges, including burglary, terroristic threatening, and strangulation in the state of Kentucky. He was taken into custody following an alleged physical encounter with his estranged wife, Tatahda Ferguson, on Jan. 2.

This information has been corroborated by various news outlets that have referenced official sources.

Darnell and his wife Tatahda share eight children between them. (Photo courtesy: Darnell Ferguson)

Ferguson, aged 36, was officially registered as an inmate at the Louisville Metropolitan Department of Corrections, as per online incarceration records obtained by EEW staff.

Local news platforms WHAS 11, WDRB, and Courier Journal have additionally reported that Ferguson is confronting a series of misdemeanor charges, including assault, menacing, criminal mischief, and the unlawful possession of a stolen credit or debit card

The circumstances leading up to the arrest of the SuperChef Family Cookbook author are outlined in the case memo that states that on Jan. 2 in Jefferson County, Kentucky, Ferguson "unlawfully entered victim's (Tatahda Ferguson) residence. Once inside, [Ferguson] began yelling at victim and punching walls, causing damage to victim's residence (estimated damage under $500).

[Ferguson] also grabbed victim by the neck with both hands and intentionally impeded the victim's breathing. As [Ferguson] strangled victim, he stated he would kill her."

The case memo continued, "Victim reported she was unable to breathe and lost consciousness. When victim regained consciousness, she was on the floor and [Ferguson] then ripped off the victim's shorts, causing a scratch to victim's upper thigh. After ripping victim's shorts, [Ferguson] demanded to see victim's private area and told victim she was his and no one else's. Victim reported [Ferguson's] actions placed her in fear of being sexually assaulted. Before [Ferguson] left residence, he took victim's credit card/debit card and victim's identification card."

The case memo also stated that police were called to the residence and photos were taken of the alleged injuries. The case memo states that the alleged victim had "redness, scratches and pain to her neck and a scratch to her upper thigh."

Louisville Metropolitan Department of Corrections

EEW Magazine Online has attempted to gather more information by contacting the St. Matthews Police, but they have not yet responded as of Wednesday. Court documents indicate that a protection order was issued against Ferguson on the second day of January, though the identity of the individual who initiated the order was not disclosed to the public.

Before the publicizing of SuperChef’s latest transformation into Super Villain, he was no stranger to legal troubles. He has previously served time in jail—where he could be headed again. In fact, Ferguson, who has been vocal about his Christian beliefs, has shared In an interview with Birmingham Christian that he discovered Christianity after a stint in jail.

"I always thought it was just a fairy tale," he said referring to the Bible. "Then I found God for the first time,” something he said helped him overcome his fear and anger, as well as gain confidence and a sense of identity.

Before accepting Christ, Ferguson said, "I never knew who I was,” adding, “then the church solidified that for me. It gave me something to hope in and let me know I was special. I began to believe that God created me and believed everything God says about me."

The shocking recent developments are casting a dark shadow over the bright stardom of the culinary talent whose career took a leap in early 2023 when he was chosen to co-host the 25th season of “Worst Cooks in America” with Anne Burrell. Ferguson, also a regular judge on Chopped and Guy’s Grocery Games, has participated in three seasons of Guy Fieri's Tournament of Champions and made recent appearances on OWN’s The Big Holiday Food Fight and Food Fantasies.