Eric Adjepong addresses allegations after no-contact order involving daughter becomes public

The chef says his daughter remains his “foremost priority” and that he will honor the court process while contesting the public narrative surrounding the case.

“Top Chef” finalist and Food Network personality Eric Adjepong is publicly addressing a court order that bars him from contact with his young daughter, breaking a silence he says was deliberate rather than evasive.

TMZ reported that the Washington, D.C.-based chef was ordered on July 10 to stay away from the child, her home, her school and her childcare providers through July 2027, following proceedings that began in May. The specific allegations remain sealed. The outlet also confirmed that no criminal charges have been filed in the matter.

In a lengthy statement posted to Instagram, Adjepong pushed back on the narrative that has formed around him without addressing the sealed particulars. “I have remained silent not because I lacked a response, but because I believe integrity is measured by how you conduct yourself when your character is being questioned,” he wrote. He said he intended to “place my faith in God, honor the Court, and let my character speak for itself,” adding that he was sharing the statement “not to fuel public debate, but to ensure that facts exist alongside speculation.”

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He was unequivocal about his relationship with his daughter, writing that she remains his “foremost priority” and that he would “never weaponize or abuse her, full stop,” while pledging to protect her privacy and respect the legal process.

Through his attorney, Adjepong told TMZ that the allegations surfaced in the context of a long-running divorce and custody dispute that concluded in June, and said he is “strictly complying with every facet of the order.” He expressed hope that he and his ex-wife could resolve future matters privately rather than through the press, “if only for the well-being of our daughter.”

His ex-wife, Janell Mack, offered a starkly different account on social media, writing that she has spent years teaching her daughter about boundaries and speaking up when she feels unsafe. Her attorney, Todd Mohink, told TMZ he believes “the court did its job to protect the best interest of the child.”

Adjepong competed on season 16 of Bravo’s “Top Chef” and returned for “Top Chef All-Stars.” The couple married in 2017 and separated in 2021.