Contents:
- THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985
- HOW BLACK WOMEN EXPOSED CELEBRY CHEF DARI COOKS#DARIUSCROOKS?HE’S NIED THEIR CLAIMS, AND SAYS HIS HATERS ARE “JEALO” AS REPORTS OF BAD BEHAVR HAVE KEPT POURG .ERNT OWENSUPDATED JUL. 25, 2021 3:57PM EDT / PUBLISHED JUL. 25, 2021 4:58AM EDT OPNPHOTO ILLTRATN BY THE DAILY BEAST/GETTY/INSTAGRAM“WHEN SOMEONE SHOWS YOU WHO THEY ARE, BELIEVE THEM THE FIRST TIME,” THE LATE IN MAYA ANGELOU ONCE SAID, AND ED BLACK WOMEN HAVE LONG BEEN THE NARI THE AL ME BEFORE NTROVERSY, RPTN, AND SNDAL EMERGE, PROVIDG THE RECEIPTS AND SPENDG THE TIME AND ENERGY TO EXPOSE CEPTN AND SMS.IT WAS BLACK WOMEN WHO SPOKE OUT LOUDLY ABOUT DONALD TMP 2016. BLACK WOMEN WHO ANIZED #MUTERKELLY LONG BEFORE WAS SOCIALLY ACCEPTED THAT THE R&B SGER’S BEHAVR WAS CRIMALLY WRONG. BLACK WOMEN WHO CREATED THE METOO MOVEMENT AND HELMED BLACK LIV MATTER —THE MOST MARGALIZED AMONG STEADFASTLY TRYG TO IMPROVE NDNS FOR ALL OF .AND NOW IS BLACK WOMEN WHO HAVE ED THE VIRAL HASHTAG #DARICROOKS TO SHARE THEIR STORI ABOUT A CHEF AND SOCIAL MEDIA STAR WHO THEY SAY HAS BEEN ABG HIS EMPLOYE, STEALG RECIP, AND SMMG HIS CTOMERS—ALL CLAIMS THAT HE HAS NIED. DARI “COOKS” WILLIAMS WENT OM AN UNKNOWN CHIGO FOOD BLOGGER TO SOCIAL MEDIA FLUENCER OVERNIGHT 2011 AFTER SUNNY ANRSON, A BLACK OKBOOK THOR AND -HOST OF FOOD NETWORK’S THE KCHEN, VED HIM TO BE AN ON-AIR GUT ON HER H SHOW, COOKG FOR REAL. ACRDG TO ANRSON A RECENT TERVIEW WH SOUTHERN GR MAGAZE, THEIR ONCE SWEET LLABORATN TURNED SOUR AFTER SHE SAYS HE MISLED HIS CTOMERS TO BELIEVG THAT SHE WAS ATTACHED TO HIS FAILED GROCERY LIVERY SERVICE LLED FRH2GO—A BS VENTURE SHE HAD CLED TO VT WHEN HE FIRST ASKED HER A EARLIER. “HOPEFULLY PEOPLE THAT DO BS WH HIM WILL REARCH HIM. WHEN YOU ADD UP EVERYTHG, HE TOOK AN OPPORTUNY AND ED ,” ANRSON TOLD SOUTHERN GR. “AT EVERY TURN HE’S CHOOSG TO BE DISHONT AND I HOPE HE STOPS.” OVER THE YEARS, WILLIAMS WOULD GO ON TO VELOP A FLASHY BRAND WH OVER 3 LN FOLLOWERS ACROSS FACEBOOK, TWTER, AND INSTAGRAM AS HE SELLS OKBOOKS, HOSTS DNER SERI, AND OPENS RTRANTS. WILLIAMS ISN’T A CLASSILLY TRAED CHEF AND HAS OFTEN BOASTED ONLE OF HOW HE’S BEE A LNAIRE BY APPLYG HIS GRANDMOTHER’S OKG LSONS.BUT HIS WARM PUBLIC IMAGE TOOK A TURN FOR THE WORSE OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF. AS ANOTHER BS OF HIS THAT PROMISED TO REPAIR PEOPLE’S CRED WAS H WH A SIX-FIGURE FE GEIA, HE ABPTLY SHUTTERED HIS THREE RTRANTS ATLANTA AND CHIGO AND A TORRENT OF CLAIMS APPEARED ON SOCIAL MEDIA ACCG HIM OF TAKG ADVANTAGE OF BLACK WOMEN, MISTREATG EMPLOYE, AND RIPPG OFF CTOMERS.ASKED ABOUT THE VAR CLAIMS ABOUT HIM, WILLIAMS TOLD THE DAILY BEAST THAT “I’M CLG TO MENT AT THIS TIME AS THEY’RE ALLEGATNS. THANKS FOR UNRSTANDG.”WILLIAMS’ TROUBL BEGAN WHEN HE AND HIS PANY, ABOVE 701, INC., AGREED THE PREV DECEMBER TO A $145,750 SETTLEMENT—CLUDG $110,000 CTOMER RTUTN AND A $35,750 CIVIL PENALTY TO THE STATE FOR VLATG THE GEIA FAIR BS PRACTIC ACT.THE NSENT JUDGEMENT WH THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL ALSO REQUIRED THE PANY TO CEASE ALL BS OPERATNS THE STATE AFTER OPERATG AN ILLEGAL CRED REPAIR BS BY “REQUTG AND ACCEPTG PAYMENT OM NSUMERS FOR S CRED REPAIR SERVIC BEFORE THOSE SERVIC WERE PROVID” AND “MAKG MISLEADG CLAIMS THAT ULD GET BANKPTCI AND BTS PERMANENTLY LETED OM NSUMERS’ CRED REPORTS, WHOUT AQUATELY DISCLOSG THAT NEGATIVE CRED RMATN NNOT BE ERASED OM A NSUMER’S CRED REPORT IF THE RMATN IS ACCURATE.” IN AN TERVIEW WH BLACK ENTERPRISE ON THE MATTER, WILLIAMS SAYS THAT “I PAID THE 140, ’S OVER, EVERYTHG IS OL,” BUT ALSO ADD: “I THK THEY’RE PULLG OM THAT SAYG ‘OH, HE’S A SMMER.’ BUT ’S LIKE NO, THE PEOPLE WHO WERE ON THE ROSTER, THEIR CRED SR CREASED.”LAST FEBARY, JT BEFORE THE PANMIC AND JT AFTER HIS BS WAS H WH THAT SIX-FIGURE FE, WILLIAMS ABPTLY CLOSED HIS THREE RTRANTS, SOUL CRAB ATLANTA AND SOUL CRAB CHIGO AS WELL AS GREENS AND GRAVY ATLANTA, A CISN HE SAID WAS RELATED TO “MENTAL HEALTH” ISSU.SCE THEN, SEVERAL FORMER EMPLOYE HAVE CLAIMED THAT HE WAS VERBALLY AND PHYSILLY AGGRSIVE, DIDN’T PAY THEM, AND NEGLECTED THE WARNGS OF SPECTORS WHO H THEM WH HEALTH VLATNS.AN ANONYMO EMPLOYEE AT SOUL CRAB ATLANTA TOLD BLACK ENTERPRISE THAT THE TABLISHMENT “WAS SO DIRTY AND RAT-FTED THAT ULDN’T PASS SEVERAL STATE SPECTNS” AND THAT THEY HAD TO SPEND THEIR OWN MONEY TO KEEP THE RTRANT’S MATENANCE AFLOAT.“I’M PATCHG STUFF UP. I GOT MY WHOLE CREW THERE ON A MONDAY, CLEANG AND DOG EVERYTHG AND DARI IS ON VATN DUBAI AND LERALLY, I’M CHARGE OF A WHOLE DAMN RTRANT WH 30 IGG’ EMPLOYE AND YOU DUBAI AND WE’VE GOT A MAJOR SPECTN TOMORROW AND YOU ARE OVERSEAS,” THE FORMER EMPLOYEE TOLD THE PUBLITN.OTHER FORMER EMPLOYE OF WILLIAMS HAVE ALSO CLAIMED THAT HE LEFT THEM HIGH AND DRY DURG THE CLOSG OF HIS RTRANTS, WH ONE OF THEM PLAG ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT SHE WAS “PAID PENNI” BY HIM AND WAS MISTREATED WHEN SHE ED TO BAKE HIS CAROLA POUND CAK AND SHIP THEM. KIARA ROSS, A FORMER EMPLOYEE OF SOUL CRAB ATLANTA, ALLEGED ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT WILLIAMS NEVER PAID HER AND PHYSILLY ASSLTED HER WHEN SHE NONTED HIM. SHE IS NOW TRYG TO RAISE FUNDS VIA GOFUNDME TO SUE HIM FOR “NONPAYMENT AND MISTREATMENT.” SPEAKG TO BLACK ENTERPRISE, WILLIAMS ADMTED TO PUTTG HIS “HANDS ON [ROSS]” BUT CLAIMS HE DIDN’T KNOW WHO SHE WAS AT THE TIME OF THE NONTATN, WHILE ALSO ADDG THAT HE WAS NEVER FORMALLY ARRTED AND CHARGED.OTHERS ONLE, MANY OF THEM POSTG UNR THE HASHTAG #DARICROOKS, ALSO ACCE HIM OF SWIPG RECIP OM OTHER FOOD BLOGGERS AND NOT LIVERG WHAT HE PROMISED CTOMERS WHO PAID FOR HIS DNER SERI, WH PLATS ABOUT HIS BS PRACTIC ALSO PILG UP ON THE BETTER BS BURE WEBSE.“THERE’S A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEG SPIRED BY SOMEONE’S WORK AND THEN GIVG THEM CRED FOR ADAPTG THEIR RECIPE. AND HE DON’T DO THAT AT ALL,” REA GASCóN-LóPEZ, OWNER/CHEF OF THE SOO PROJECT, TOLD SOUTHERN GR MAGAZE. “AND THAT’S WHAT IS SO TRATG ABOUT THE ENTIRE SUATN THAT’S UNFOLDG. HIS FANS AND SUPPORTERS ENABLE HIS PREDATORY AND TOXIC BEHAVR THAT’S SO MON THE CULARY DTRY, BOTH AND OUT OF RTRANTS.”WILLIAMS, A BLACK GAY MAN, TOLD BLACK ENTERPRISE THAT A LOT OF THE CRICISMS OF HIM ARE OM PEOPLE WHO ARE “JEALO” OR WHO HAVE MISTERPRETED “MY SPEECH, MY MANNERISMS LOOK TO BE THAT OF A STRAIGHT MAN.”“I THK WHAT’S HAPPENG IS, ’S THE PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT BE FAIAR WH MY BRAND, BEE SOME OF THE HATE MAIL I’M GETTG… YOU KNOW, STOP ABG BLACK WOMEN, KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF BLACK WOMEN… AND I’M OPENLY GAY BUT I DON’T E ACROSS AS GAY,” HE TOLD THE PUBLITN. “ALL I WANT TO DO IS Y CHICKEN AND MAKE MARONI AND CHEE, THAT’S .”BUT SEXUAL ORIENTATN ASI, WILLIAMS HAS GARNERED A REPUTATN FOR ATTACKG BLACK WOMEN ONLE, SELLG HIS OKBOOKS WH THE DISUNT S “SUNNY” AND “BAD WIG” AFTER ANRSON CRICIZED HIM PUBLICLY. HE ALSO DID THE SAME THG WHEN ANGELA “THE KCHENISTA” DAVIS LLED HIM OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WHICH SEEMED TO OPEN UP THE FLOODGATE OF STORI ABOUT HIM, WH WILLIAMS THEN TAKG TO YOUTUBE TO BRAG ABOUT HOW SAYS HE MA $110,000 A LTLE MORE THAN A WEEK OFF OF THE BEEF.“YOU GOT TO UNRSTAND THAT THE BEEF IS NOT ABOUT YOU, THE ATTACK IS NOT ON YOU. THE ATTACK IS ON THE GREATNS THAT LI SI OF YOU,” HE SAYS THAT VIO. “WHEN YOU BEE GREAT, PEOPLE WILL ATTACK THAT GREATNS.” SUCH ANTICS SEEM TO BE TCHG UP WH WILLIAMS, AS POPULAR EDIAN KEV ON STAGE HAS PUBLICLY DISAVOWED HIS PREV SUPPORT OF THE CHEF. EVEN FOR FLUENTIAL CHEFS WH FOLLOWGS OF THEIR OWN LIKE ANRSON AND DAVIS, ’S NOT EASY TO PUBLICLY LL OUT SOMEONE LIKE WILLIAMS, GIVEN HOW BLACK WOMEN ARE SO OFTEN NOT BELIEVED UNTIL OTHERS BACK UP THEIR ACUNTS AS WE’VE ALSO SEEN THE S OF SHN KG, AND R. KELLY AND RSELL SIMMONS, AMONG OTHERS. IT N TAKE YEARS, WHEN HAPPENS AT ALL, AND A TREMENDO TOLL THE MEANTIME ON THE WOMEN WHO SPEAK UP.FOR EXAMPLE, DEB FREEMAN, THE BLACK FOOD WRER WHO FIRST WROTE ABOUT WILLIAMS’ NTROVERSI FOR SOUTHERN GR MAGAZE, FACED ONLE ATTACKS OM MANY OF HIS VOCIFERO FANS FOLLOWG S PUBLITN. IT WAS ONLY AFTER THE PUBLITN’S WHE MALE EDOR--CHIEF PUBLICLY STOOD UP FOR HER THAT OTHERS THE MEDIA DTRY TOOK NOTICE. THAT PATTERN OF BLACK WOMEN BEG IGNORED OR ATTACKED WHEN THEY SPEAK UP ABOUT MEN’S BAD BEHAVR NEEDS TO CHANGE. TO THOSE WHO CLAIM TO BE PROGRSIVE, ASK YOURSELF: WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU TOOK A BLACK WOMAN’S WORD ON SOMETHG? IF YOU N’T IMMEDIATELY THK OF A RECENT EXAMPLE, YOU’RE A PART OF THE PROBLEM. ERNT OWENS
- AMERI'S MOST INFLUENTIAL CHEF WAS GAY AS HELL
THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985
Is Chef Carmen Atl Gay? It feels like Chef Carmen Atl is Gay as she was datg a woman.
HOW BLACK WOMEN EXPOSED CELEBRY CHEF DARI COOKS#DARIUSCROOKS?HE’S NIED THEIR CLAIMS, AND SAYS HIS HATERS ARE “JEALO” AS REPORTS OF BAD BEHAVR HAVE KEPT POURG .ERNT OWENSUPDATED JUL. 25, 2021 3:57PM EDT / PUBLISHED JUL. 25, 2021 4:58AM EDT OPNPHOTO ILLTRATN BY THE DAILY BEAST/GETTY/INSTAGRAM“WHEN SOMEONE SHOWS YOU WHO THEY ARE, BELIEVE THEM THE FIRST TIME,” THE LATE IN MAYA ANGELOU ONCE SAID, AND ED BLACK WOMEN HAVE LONG BEEN THE NARI THE AL ME BEFORE NTROVERSY, RPTN, AND SNDAL EMERGE, PROVIDG THE RECEIPTS AND SPENDG THE TIME AND ENERGY TO EXPOSE CEPTN AND SMS.IT WAS BLACK WOMEN WHO SPOKE OUT LOUDLY ABOUT DONALD TMP 2016. BLACK WOMEN WHO ANIZED #MUTERKELLY LONG BEFORE WAS SOCIALLY ACCEPTED THAT THE R&B SGER’S BEHAVR WAS CRIMALLY WRONG. BLACK WOMEN WHO CREATED THE METOO MOVEMENT AND HELMED BLACK LIV MATTER —THE MOST MARGALIZED AMONG STEADFASTLY TRYG TO IMPROVE NDNS FOR ALL OF .AND NOW IS BLACK WOMEN WHO HAVE ED THE VIRAL HASHTAG #DARICROOKS TO SHARE THEIR STORI ABOUT A CHEF AND SOCIAL MEDIA STAR WHO THEY SAY HAS BEEN ABG HIS EMPLOYE, STEALG RECIP, AND SMMG HIS CTOMERS—ALL CLAIMS THAT HE HAS NIED. DARI “COOKS” WILLIAMS WENT OM AN UNKNOWN CHIGO FOOD BLOGGER TO SOCIAL MEDIA FLUENCER OVERNIGHT 2011 AFTER SUNNY ANRSON, A BLACK OKBOOK THOR AND -HOST OF FOOD NETWORK’S THE KCHEN, VED HIM TO BE AN ON-AIR GUT ON HER H SHOW, COOKG FOR REAL. ACRDG TO ANRSON A RECENT TERVIEW WH SOUTHERN GR MAGAZE, THEIR ONCE SWEET LLABORATN TURNED SOUR AFTER SHE SAYS HE MISLED HIS CTOMERS TO BELIEVG THAT SHE WAS ATTACHED TO HIS FAILED GROCERY LIVERY SERVICE LLED FRH2GO—A BS VENTURE SHE HAD CLED TO VT WHEN HE FIRST ASKED HER A EARLIER. “HOPEFULLY PEOPLE THAT DO BS WH HIM WILL REARCH HIM. WHEN YOU ADD UP EVERYTHG, HE TOOK AN OPPORTUNY AND ED ,” ANRSON TOLD SOUTHERN GR. “AT EVERY TURN HE’S CHOOSG TO BE DISHONT AND I HOPE HE STOPS.” OVER THE YEARS, WILLIAMS WOULD GO ON TO VELOP A FLASHY BRAND WH OVER 3 LN FOLLOWERS ACROSS FACEBOOK, TWTER, AND INSTAGRAM AS HE SELLS OKBOOKS, HOSTS DNER SERI, AND OPENS RTRANTS. WILLIAMS ISN’T A CLASSILLY TRAED CHEF AND HAS OFTEN BOASTED ONLE OF HOW HE’S BEE A LNAIRE BY APPLYG HIS GRANDMOTHER’S OKG LSONS.BUT HIS WARM PUBLIC IMAGE TOOK A TURN FOR THE WORSE OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF. AS ANOTHER BS OF HIS THAT PROMISED TO REPAIR PEOPLE’S CRED WAS H WH A SIX-FIGURE FE GEIA, HE ABPTLY SHUTTERED HIS THREE RTRANTS ATLANTA AND CHIGO AND A TORRENT OF CLAIMS APPEARED ON SOCIAL MEDIA ACCG HIM OF TAKG ADVANTAGE OF BLACK WOMEN, MISTREATG EMPLOYE, AND RIPPG OFF CTOMERS.ASKED ABOUT THE VAR CLAIMS ABOUT HIM, WILLIAMS TOLD THE DAILY BEAST THAT “I’M CLG TO MENT AT THIS TIME AS THEY’RE ALLEGATNS. THANKS FOR UNRSTANDG.”WILLIAMS’ TROUBL BEGAN WHEN HE AND HIS PANY, ABOVE 701, INC., AGREED THE PREV DECEMBER TO A $145,750 SETTLEMENT—CLUDG $110,000 CTOMER RTUTN AND A $35,750 CIVIL PENALTY TO THE STATE FOR VLATG THE GEIA FAIR BS PRACTIC ACT.THE NSENT JUDGEMENT WH THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL ALSO REQUIRED THE PANY TO CEASE ALL BS OPERATNS THE STATE AFTER OPERATG AN ILLEGAL CRED REPAIR BS BY “REQUTG AND ACCEPTG PAYMENT OM NSUMERS FOR S CRED REPAIR SERVIC BEFORE THOSE SERVIC WERE PROVID” AND “MAKG MISLEADG CLAIMS THAT ULD GET BANKPTCI AND BTS PERMANENTLY LETED OM NSUMERS’ CRED REPORTS, WHOUT AQUATELY DISCLOSG THAT NEGATIVE CRED RMATN NNOT BE ERASED OM A NSUMER’S CRED REPORT IF THE RMATN IS ACCURATE.” IN AN TERVIEW WH BLACK ENTERPRISE ON THE MATTER, WILLIAMS SAYS THAT “I PAID THE 140, ’S OVER, EVERYTHG IS OL,” BUT ALSO ADD: “I THK THEY’RE PULLG OM THAT SAYG ‘OH, HE’S A SMMER.’ BUT ’S LIKE NO, THE PEOPLE WHO WERE ON THE ROSTER, THEIR CRED SR CREASED.”LAST FEBARY, JT BEFORE THE PANMIC AND JT AFTER HIS BS WAS H WH THAT SIX-FIGURE FE, WILLIAMS ABPTLY CLOSED HIS THREE RTRANTS, SOUL CRAB ATLANTA AND SOUL CRAB CHIGO AS WELL AS GREENS AND GRAVY ATLANTA, A CISN HE SAID WAS RELATED TO “MENTAL HEALTH” ISSU.SCE THEN, SEVERAL FORMER EMPLOYE HAVE CLAIMED THAT HE WAS VERBALLY AND PHYSILLY AGGRSIVE, DIDN’T PAY THEM, AND NEGLECTED THE WARNGS OF SPECTORS WHO H THEM WH HEALTH VLATNS.AN ANONYMO EMPLOYEE AT SOUL CRAB ATLANTA TOLD BLACK ENTERPRISE THAT THE TABLISHMENT “WAS SO DIRTY AND RAT-FTED THAT ULDN’T PASS SEVERAL STATE SPECTNS” AND THAT THEY HAD TO SPEND THEIR OWN MONEY TO KEEP THE RTRANT’S MATENANCE AFLOAT.“I’M PATCHG STUFF UP. I GOT MY WHOLE CREW THERE ON A MONDAY, CLEANG AND DOG EVERYTHG AND DARI IS ON VATN DUBAI AND LERALLY, I’M CHARGE OF A WHOLE DAMN RTRANT WH 30 IGG’ EMPLOYE AND YOU DUBAI AND WE’VE GOT A MAJOR SPECTN TOMORROW AND YOU ARE OVERSEAS,” THE FORMER EMPLOYEE TOLD THE PUBLITN.OTHER FORMER EMPLOYE OF WILLIAMS HAVE ALSO CLAIMED THAT HE LEFT THEM HIGH AND DRY DURG THE CLOSG OF HIS RTRANTS, WH ONE OF THEM PLAG ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT SHE WAS “PAID PENNI” BY HIM AND WAS MISTREATED WHEN SHE ED TO BAKE HIS CAROLA POUND CAK AND SHIP THEM. KIARA ROSS, A FORMER EMPLOYEE OF SOUL CRAB ATLANTA, ALLEGED ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT WILLIAMS NEVER PAID HER AND PHYSILLY ASSLTED HER WHEN SHE NONTED HIM. SHE IS NOW TRYG TO RAISE FUNDS VIA GOFUNDME TO SUE HIM FOR “NONPAYMENT AND MISTREATMENT.” SPEAKG TO BLACK ENTERPRISE, WILLIAMS ADMTED TO PUTTG HIS “HANDS ON [ROSS]” BUT CLAIMS HE DIDN’T KNOW WHO SHE WAS AT THE TIME OF THE NONTATN, WHILE ALSO ADDG THAT HE WAS NEVER FORMALLY ARRTED AND CHARGED.OTHERS ONLE, MANY OF THEM POSTG UNR THE HASHTAG #DARICROOKS, ALSO ACCE HIM OF SWIPG RECIP OM OTHER FOOD BLOGGERS AND NOT LIVERG WHAT HE PROMISED CTOMERS WHO PAID FOR HIS DNER SERI, WH PLATS ABOUT HIS BS PRACTIC ALSO PILG UP ON THE BETTER BS BURE WEBSE.“THERE’S A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEG SPIRED BY SOMEONE’S WORK AND THEN GIVG THEM CRED FOR ADAPTG THEIR RECIPE. AND HE DON’T DO THAT AT ALL,” REA GASCóN-LóPEZ, OWNER/CHEF OF THE SOO PROJECT, TOLD SOUTHERN GR MAGAZE. “AND THAT’S WHAT IS SO TRATG ABOUT THE ENTIRE SUATN THAT’S UNFOLDG. HIS FANS AND SUPPORTERS ENABLE HIS PREDATORY AND TOXIC BEHAVR THAT’S SO MON THE CULARY DTRY, BOTH AND OUT OF RTRANTS.”WILLIAMS, A BLACK GAY MAN, TOLD BLACK ENTERPRISE THAT A LOT OF THE CRICISMS OF HIM ARE OM PEOPLE WHO ARE “JEALO” OR WHO HAVE MISTERPRETED “MY SPEECH, MY MANNERISMS LOOK TO BE THAT OF A STRAIGHT MAN.”“I THK WHAT’S HAPPENG IS, ’S THE PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT BE FAIAR WH MY BRAND, BEE SOME OF THE HATE MAIL I’M GETTG… YOU KNOW, STOP ABG BLACK WOMEN, KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF BLACK WOMEN… AND I’M OPENLY GAY BUT I DON’T E ACROSS AS GAY,” HE TOLD THE PUBLITN. “ALL I WANT TO DO IS Y CHICKEN AND MAKE MARONI AND CHEE, THAT’S .”BUT SEXUAL ORIENTATN ASI, WILLIAMS HAS GARNERED A REPUTATN FOR ATTACKG BLACK WOMEN ONLE, SELLG HIS OKBOOKS WH THE DISUNT S “SUNNY” AND “BAD WIG” AFTER ANRSON CRICIZED HIM PUBLICLY. HE ALSO DID THE SAME THG WHEN ANGELA “THE KCHENISTA” DAVIS LLED HIM OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WHICH SEEMED TO OPEN UP THE FLOODGATE OF STORI ABOUT HIM, WH WILLIAMS THEN TAKG TO YOUTUBE TO BRAG ABOUT HOW SAYS HE MA $110,000 A LTLE MORE THAN A WEEK OFF OF THE BEEF.“YOU GOT TO UNRSTAND THAT THE BEEF IS NOT ABOUT YOU, THE ATTACK IS NOT ON YOU. THE ATTACK IS ON THE GREATNS THAT LI SI OF YOU,” HE SAYS THAT VIO. “WHEN YOU BEE GREAT, PEOPLE WILL ATTACK THAT GREATNS.” SUCH ANTICS SEEM TO BE TCHG UP WH WILLIAMS, AS POPULAR EDIAN KEV ON STAGE HAS PUBLICLY DISAVOWED HIS PREV SUPPORT OF THE CHEF. EVEN FOR FLUENTIAL CHEFS WH FOLLOWGS OF THEIR OWN LIKE ANRSON AND DAVIS, ’S NOT EASY TO PUBLICLY LL OUT SOMEONE LIKE WILLIAMS, GIVEN HOW BLACK WOMEN ARE SO OFTEN NOT BELIEVED UNTIL OTHERS BACK UP THEIR ACUNTS AS WE’VE ALSO SEEN THE S OF SHN KG, AND R. KELLY AND RSELL SIMMONS, AMONG OTHERS. IT N TAKE YEARS, WHEN HAPPENS AT ALL, AND A TREMENDO TOLL THE MEANTIME ON THE WOMEN WHO SPEAK UP.FOR EXAMPLE, DEB FREEMAN, THE BLACK FOOD WRER WHO FIRST WROTE ABOUT WILLIAMS’ NTROVERSI FOR SOUTHERN GR MAGAZE, FACED ONLE ATTACKS OM MANY OF HIS VOCIFERO FANS FOLLOWG S PUBLITN. IT WAS ONLY AFTER THE PUBLITN’S WHE MALE EDOR--CHIEF PUBLICLY STOOD UP FOR HER THAT OTHERS THE MEDIA DTRY TOOK NOTICE. THAT PATTERN OF BLACK WOMEN BEG IGNORED OR ATTACKED WHEN THEY SPEAK UP ABOUT MEN’S BAD BEHAVR NEEDS TO CHANGE. TO THOSE WHO CLAIM TO BE PROGRSIVE, ASK YOURSELF: WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU TOOK A BLACK WOMAN’S WORD ON SOMETHG? IF YOU N’T IMMEDIATELY THK OF A RECENT EXAMPLE, YOU’RE A PART OF THE PROBLEM. ERNT OWENS
Whether was issu of racism gay clubs, gay youth issu, issu specifilly pertag to black, queer people, I’ve kept an active profile. Beg a gay culary figure is important to me bee ’s a legacy built on the shoulrs of Jam Beard, Craig Claiborne, Bill Neal, and many others.
AMERI'S MOST INFLUENTIAL CHEF WAS GAY AS HELL
When I was wrg The Cookg Gene, beme very important to me to do what they uldn’t do, which was to say, hey, gay chefs e om gay kids who once dreamed of wowg people wh their food and flair. Even though we stggle wh anti-gay sentiment the morn food world and kchen, knowg that there are so many women, men, and trans dividuals the food world mak me feel scribably and eply nnected.
Season 3 gave our first gay wner, wh Chef Hung Huynh wng the whole season. Dale, another gay chef, also ma the fale, g send place. In season 6, Ashley spoke out about how the nttants were ma to ok for a weddg while she, and other gay nttants, uldn't legally get married.
Season 11 featured gay chef Travis Masar. There is also some mors that Chef Carmen is Gay as she is datg a woman.