Chef Eric Adjepong Faced Earlier Restraining Order Violation

Celebrity chef Eric Adjepong allegedly breached a restraining order secured by his former wife Janell Mack in early 2025, according to court records. The incident occurred more than a year before the chef's daughter obtained a protective order against him earlier this month.

Mack successfully petitioned a court in January 2025 for a temporary protective order that prohibited Adjepong from contacting her through any method. On January 23, 2025, one day after the order took effect, Adjepong allegedly reached out to his former wife through the OurFamilyWizard parenting application, requesting a FaceTime call, TMZ.com reported.

Court officials issued a summons and reiterated that Adjepong must refrain from all contact with Mack. The protective order remained in force through February 4, 2025.

Through his legal representative, Adjepong provided context for the alleged violation. "The alleged violation entailed Mr. Adjepong contacting his ex-wife regarding their daughter through the OurFamilyWizard app, a court-mandated communications app used during the parties' divorce and custody proceedings," he told TMZ.com. "The alleged violation was dismissed because the court recognized that the required method of communication was the OurFamilyWizard app, creating a conflict with the protective order."

The Food Network personality also addressed the situation publicly through social media. "The past several weeks have been among the most difficult of my life," Adjepong wrote on Instagram. "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. Others can choose rhetoric. I will choose truth."

Adjepong and Mack were married from 2017 to 2021 and share a seven-year-old daughter named Lennox. The specific circumstances that led Mack to seek the initial protective order in January 2025 have not been publicly disclosed.

The earlier restraining order incident preceded more serious allegations that emerged this year. On May 1, 2026, Child and Family Services received allegations that Adjepong had sexually abused his daughter. The agency notified Washington, D.C. police, who investigated but determined there was no probable cause that a crime had occurred.

Despite the police finding, a Howard County, Maryland judge issued a final protective order against Adjepong on July 10, 2026. The order, obtained by Lennox, will remain in effect for one year.

Adjepong confirmed through his attorney that he is complying with the court order. "It is my fervent hope that in the future my ex-wife and I can resolve these matters privately and through the proper legal channels, rather than in the press, if only for the well-being of our daughter," he told TMZ.com.

Mack also released a public statement on Instagram regarding the protective order. "My daughter was just granted a protective order against her father because she was brave enough to speak up against who should have been one of the most trusted adults in her life," she wrote.

Adjepong gained prominence through his appearances on competitive cooking programs and his work with the Food Network. The legal proceedings represent a significant personal challenge for the chef as he navigates both family court matters and public scrutiny.