Fallout For ‘Top Chef’s Justin Sutherland Continues After Arrest For Threatening To Shoot Girlfriend

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J ust a year ago, celebrity chef Justin Sutherland was recovering from a serious boating accident. Now, he’s accused of domestic violence. The Emmy-winning chef was arrested last month on charges of felony count of threats of violence with reckless disregard after police in St. Paul, Minnesota, responded to a 911 call.

A woman who identified herself as Sutherland’s girlfriend said that the couple argued over attending a music festival and that while on the phone with her sister, Sutherland put his hands around her neck, squeezed and told her “I want you dead.”

The woman is believed to be Serena Lange, an Instagram model/influencer who he has posted on his social media accounts. In the report, she also says that he pointed a gun at her, then hit her with it, telling her if she came around again, he would shoot her.

In a previous call to 911, Lange said he’d choked her and tried to throw her out of the apartment, but when officers arrived, Sutherland said it was just a verbal argument and no arrest was made.

However, the accusations are costing Sutherland who has been a judge on Top Chef and Chopped and competed on Iron Chef America and Tournament of Champions. In 2023, Sutherland was up against celebrity cooking legends Emeril Lagasse, Guy Fieri and Ina Garten for a Daytime Emmy Award for Culinary Host for his work on Taste the Culture. He won. Opportunities came his way, including a partnership with a local nonprofit to redevelop the Golden Thyme Coffee and Café. They now say the partnership has been canceled.

Sutherland has collaborated with Minneapolis/St. Paul magazine for the Smoke Out barbecue fest since 2018. That has also now been discontinued. He is the chef on record for several popular restaurants in the Twin Cities including The Handsome Hog, Big E and Gray Duck Tavern. He had previously announced plans to open more.

After his arrest, Sutherland issued a statement that read, “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.”

He continued, “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.”

His lawyer, John Daly, said that Sutherland didn’t assault Lange and that her claims to the contrary were based around “the end of the relationship.”

Despite the seriousness of the allegations, Sutherland was released on his own recognizance and without bail.