Top Chef Star Eric Adjepong Violated Ex-Wife's Restraining Order
Top Chef star Eric Adjepong is facing fresh legal trouble after allegedly violating a temporary restraining order obtained by his ex-wife Janell Mack in January 2025. The incident came to light months before his 7-year-old daughter Lennox secured a protective order against him.
Janell Mack went to court in January and was granted a temporary protective order barring Adjepong from contacting her by any means. But the very next day, on January 23, the chef reached out to her via the court-mandated parenting app OurFamilyWizard, asking to FaceTime. The court issued a summons reminding him of the order, which remained in effect until February 4, 2025.
Adjepong's attorney explained that the OurFamilyWizard app was required by the court for communication regarding their daughter, creating a legal conflict with the protective order. The alleged violation was eventually dismissed because the court recognized the contradiction between the two court orders.
In an Instagram statement, Adjepong called the past weeks among the most difficult of his life, saying he remained silent not because he lacked a response but because integrity is measured by conduct when character is questioned. He vowed to choose truth over rhetoric.
The reasons behind Janell's initial protective order remain unclear. The couple was married from 2017 to 2021 and share daughter Lennox. However, in May 2025, new allegations emerged: Lennox accused her father of sexual abuse, prompting a report to Child and Family Services. D.C. police found no probable cause, but a Howard County, Maryland judge issued a final one-year protective order against Adjepong on July 10.
Adjepong's attorney confirmed his client is complying with the order and hopes future matters will be resolved privately and through proper legal channels, rather than in the press, for the sake of their daughter. The case continues to unfold, and the chef's celebrity status does not shield him from serious legal consequences.