Twin Cities Celebrity Chef Justin Sutherland Charged With Felony Threats of Violence

Chef Justin Sutherland, owner of multiple Twin Cities restaurants and a staple of cooking television, has been charged with a felony after allegedly threatening to shoot his girlfriend, choking her, and making other threats, reports the Star Tribune. According to the criminal complaint cited in the Star Tribune’s report, Sutherland’s girlfriend alleged he pointed a gun at her and said, “Don’t come back here or I am going to shoot you,” after the two disagreed about going to a music festival.

Sutherland’s attorney, John Daly, told the Star Tribune the complaint is false: “He never physically assaulted anybody, never pointed a gun at anybody and never choked anybody. … Mr. Sutherland is a nonviolent, warm and energetic member of the community.”

Sutherland is known in the Twin Cities as the man behind restaurants like Handsome Hog, Big E, and Gray Duck Tavern, and has recently been working to open two new restaurants in downtown Minneapolis’s Mill District. But he’s more widely known as a regular across reality television. He appeared as a contestant on Season 16 of Top Chef, has competed on Iron Chef America, and was a cast member of truTV’s Fast Foodies with other Top Chef alum Kristen Kish and Jeremy Ford. In 2023, Sutherland won a Daytime Emmy Award for hosting the show Taste the Culture, a travelogue exploring Black and Indigenous foodways around the world.

Sutherland has previously been criticized for the misogynistic overtones of his Minneapolis restaurant Side Chick, a fried chicken restaurant with menu items like “Legs for Days.” An open letter from women in the local hospitality industry addressed to Sutherland at the time read, “We’re sure you’re aware of the current reckoning in our industry for folks that identify as women, and your restaurant is sending an incredibly concerning message that’s counterproductive to this movement.” Side Chick closed — “abruptly,” according to Racket — in June 2022.

In the complaint filed last weekend, Sutherland’s girlfriend alleges he was also upset over “neighbors acting racist toward him,” the Tribune reports. She also didn’t initially provide Sutherland’s name, “because she did not want to get anyone in trouble.” Sutherland was released without bail and will return to court next month.

On July 2, a representative for Sutherland provided a statement from the chef to Eater Twin Cities, which reads:

Over the weekend I found myself in a situation where I was taken into custody and accused of a crime. I deeply regret putting myself in that position and the pain and distress caused to those around me. I sincerely apologize to my family, friends, and fans. I am innocent of these charges and look forward to using the judicial system to prove my innocence. Notwithstanding, this incident has made me realize the urgent need to seek professional help and make significant changes in my life.”

I am committed to making amends and seeking treatment. Once again, I offer my sincerest apologies to everyone affected by my behavior. Thank you for your support and understanding during this difficult time while we wait for the truth to come forward and further prove my innocence.

The representative noted that the court released Sutherland “on his own recognizance without requiring bail, as he’s not a danger to the community, or those around him, and he’s not a flight risk,” and added that Sutherland will be entering an unidentified treatment facility to get the “professional assistance necessary.”

Update: July 2, 2024, 6:30 p.m. CST: This story has been updated to include a statement from Justin Sutherland.