Article by Debra Freeman
Lead Photo: Screenshot of Darius “DariusCooks” Williams
Food Network television host, cookbook authors, former employees and others take to social media with charges of recipe theft, fraud, and assault against popular food personality and former restaurateur Darius Williams.
Darius “DariusCooks” Williams is a popular food blogger with over a million followers on Facebook alone, and on his website Dariuscooks.tv, along with soul food recipes, he also sells cookbooks, apparel, and tickets to Dining With DariusCooks, his dinner series.
Williams also owned three restaurants, Soul Crab Atlanta and Soul Crab Chicago, as well as Greens and Gravy in Atlanta, all of which have since closed their doors. According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the restaurants closed after Williams’ company, Above 701, Inc., agreed to a settlement totaling $145,750 due to illegal credit repair activity.
Earlier this month, Angela Davis, a private chef and digital cookbook author, began making multiple posts on Twitter against Williams, charging several counts of misconduct by Williams, culminating in the #dariuscrooks hashtag.
Screenshots from Davis’ Instagram
According to Davis, the impetus for her posts began when she and Williams were both tagged in a post for a lasagna recipe and the pair exchanged critiques on their individual social media feeds. Davis posted screenshots on Twitter of complaints against Williams from the Better Business Bureau, links to ongoing lawsuits, and retweeted posts from former employees who alleged they were never compensated for their work. “I started noticing there was some stuff that hadn’t ever been addressed,” said Davis.
Screenshots from Davis’ Twitter
One such commenter on Davis’ Twitter feed was Kiara Ross, who worked at the Atlanta Soul Crab restaurant as a server. Ross also said she filed a police report for assault against Williams. “I just wanted my money. This is two years ago. I don’t know Angela. I started going through the thread and I wanted to tell my story. I’ve been sitting on it for so long and it has to stop. I didn’t know how much it triggered me until now,” said Ross.
Sunny Anderson, cookbook author and co-host of Food Network’s The Kitchen is also expressing grievances with Williams. In a conversation with Anderson, she explained that in 2011, she invited him to be on her show, Cooking For Real, for two episodes.
She noted that during this time period, she was asked to invest in Williams’ business venture, Fresh2Go, a grocery delivery service in Chicago. Anderson explained that she declined, but after the shows aired, she began receiving complaints because it was assumed they worked together, since he was on her show. “I got messages on Twitter about Fresh2Go and there were complaints that people had given their credit card information but no delivery; they reached out to me because he was on my show. I called him to ask what was going on and he hung up. I called back and he never picked up again,” said Anderson.
Cookbook author and Food Network host Sunny Anderson
According to Anderson, later in 2017, Williams reached out to Food Network producers in order to be on The Kitchen, and she forwarded emails to the network outlining her previous interactions. The network declined to have Williams come on the show.
“Hopefully people that do business with him will research him. When you add up everything, he took an opportunity and ruined it. At every turn he’s choosing to be dishonest and I hope he stops,” said Anderson.
In addition, multiple chefs have alleged on Twitter that Williams has also stolen recipes. In the thread, Davis points to a chorizo and shrimp burger recipe Williams includes in his cookbook, Stories From My Grandmother’s Kitchen, and comments that the recipe was already on Mandy Lee’s Lady and Pups website before the book’s publication.
Private chef and digital cookbook author Angela Davis
Chef/owner of The Sofrito Project, Reina Gascón-López, has also addressed charges of recipe theft. “There’s a big difference between being inspired by someone’s work and then giving them credit for adapting their recipe. And he doesn’t do that at all. And that’s what is so frustrating about the entire situation that’s unfolding. His fans and supporters enable his predatory and toxic behavior that’s so common in the culinary industry, both in and out of restaurants,’ said Gascón-López.
Ultimately, Davis, Anderson, and Ross collectively echo they want accountability for the predatory practices they assert Williams has committed in the culinary field. Davis also hopes this will create conversations about the erasure of Black women and food. “Black women have been feeding this country since its inception and it is past time for us to reclaim the narrative,” said Davis.
*Southern Grit reached out to Darius Williams on multiple occasions for comment and he did not respond.
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34 Comments
I’m glad this story is finally being brought out! The ladies were getting thrown under the bus, being accused of attacking him. I hope that now that all the receipts are out that the truth will be exposed. Stop drinking the kool aid and stop attacking Reina, Sunny and Angela. They came with all the receipts! Now what?!
Hahaha.. They actually didn’t PROVE much. Yes they came with plenty of accusations but unfortunately not many receipts.
Darius, is that you?
Lmmfao I thought the same thing
if you check the twitter threads under the #dariuscrooks hashtag they have plenty of reciepts
There were plenty of receipts including Darrius being arrested for physically assaulting my sister in law because he did not pay her
Lol they can’t keep a good man down keep on pushing Darius
Darius is this you?
I get it but let’s not forget Angela started
This beef with talk trash about him and he searched his name and busted her. Something she’s done and quick to block.
So, are you saying that the facts of Darius’ actions like not paying his employees, stealing recipes, and stealing from people he lied to about being able to fix their credit are “beef and trash talk?”
The judgments entered against him would disagree.
Even if she never said a word about him, his horrible behavior still took place. It’s good she called him out, so he can be held accountable and ppl can stop being scammed. Regardless as to who started what, stealing from people will never be ok. And perhaps had he never done that, she would have had nothing to say.
It goes back further than that…. And she’s detailed all of their interactions so this little take isn’t it.
That’s won’t what happened AT ALL smh
Darius sit up and talk about people all the time. So why can’t someone talk about him? He’s not exempt from criticism.
Actually Darius started it sending his followers after her for having a different opinion. Research things before leaving shitty comments “Jane”
I didn’t know! I just thought he was a great soul food chef. I can’t believe he’s just a garden variety crook.
Thank you for bringing this to light. Crooks can’t & shouldn’t be allowed to prosper.
Darius Crooks is right. Whay a piece of work.
I’ve been following this unfolding on Twitter and I’m so glad that someone is finally taking these ladies seriously and getting their story out there!
I’ve been following this story & I can’t believe this man is still allowed to be in the food or credit business.
If he is doing all of this where is the law? Shouldnt someone be suing him or he be locked up if this is the case? At this point it sounds like someone is bitter! He’s still making money and has a loyal following.
Did you read the article? It mentions him settling…a lawsuit.
The lawsuit was for illegal credit repair.
It doesn’t matter what it’s for when it’s a business practice that involved him scamming or not paying wages earned. Whatever happened with the credit repair caused all three of his restaurants to be permanently closed in the same week.
When I observe the comments left by Darius Cooks supporters, I’m able to get a glimpse into the minds of people in cults. They overlook any evidence of wrongdoing (lawsuits, BBB reviews, credible witnesses coming forward, etc.) because their leader can do no wrong and they attack anyone who comes forward. How is Darius constantly being accused of something but it’s never his fault, he’s always the victim? Where there’s smoke, there’s fire and I hope his fans can see the truth before they get burned at his unregulated, unlicensed Dining with Darius events.
No one believes Black women even other Black women and it’s so sad ?
I’m not agreeing with anyone at this point. I’ll Believe it when it plays out in Court, that’s when we will see who is telling the truth or just Jealous! I don’t know who is telling the Truth. However I did read about the 701 Lawsuit against him that was settled.
Aint nobody jealous of his p*nk azz! He is a liar, scammer, and thief. You are probably one of the women who lusts after him when he tells you he is g*y. His “dhive” followers are sick in the head and wishes he was straight. They love abuse
I’m new to being around Darius around 2years. He explained all these allegations and have receipts.
Did anyone inbox him the first time to have a conversation to make it private before making it private ,I think not. Why is everyone so bothered by him? Because he’s successful and your not? How can someone steal a recipe if he was taught by his grandmother? We don’t have conversation to uplift one another we just like to destroy. If if someone is trying to succeed, get no blessing behind it. Spending more time taking snapshot, worrying what he’s doing. Like he said Hes on vacation minding his business and all the mess came. Someone tagged Kitchenista in his live. That when the drama started. Like he said she blocked him 7years ago and then unblocked him, like for what? What what her purpose?
Someone doing good you try to conquer and destroy. Always a hater, jealous individual.
This is wild!!
Its really sad to see blacks tearing each other down we all have past and a lot of this is old information. If this young lady was actually assaulted and they have been posting old court documents then where are her court papers. At this point its useless because this man is still making money his business has not stop one bit from all this negativity it has actually bought him new followers and supports. Lets do a background check on some of you. We sit on here and judge black business what about white employers who wrong us all the time and we definitely don’t see y’all on all social media outlets bashing them. In corporate American you can go to work and get let go without any notice. Steve Harvey is also being attacked and after listening to him this morning it really goes to show you can’t please everyone and your own color will throw you away first. Stop running to social media IF THIS MAN REALLY SCAMMED YOU RUN TO THE DAMN COURTS!!! Hurt people like to hurt others.
I believe everything being said about him as I enrolled in the Carolina Pound Cake affiliate program, I got 2 emails never got the information that was supposed to be sent to me, was told I could unenroll anytime yet there is no way to unenroll and was never notified that he ended the affiliate program yet after countless emails that he never responded to he is STILL CURRENTLY as recently as yesterday attempting to withdrawal $49 per month for the Carolina Pound Cake Affiliate program that he doesn’t have any more, I had to call my bank to get the payments to stop going thru! He is not what he puts out there and in fact is taking from us that aren’t rolling in money!
You can say your grandma taught you a recipe, but all you did was steal it. Successful in what way? In scamming people? I get it one or two people come after him, but a whole bunch of woman came after him accusing him to scams, not paying them and stealing recipes. He is like Cosby, but he scams woman, he doesn’t rape them.
Mr. Williams has chosen a way of life a long time ago. It didn’t start recently, either. It’s just finally catchi6up with him because technology has made it easier in 2021 to uncover and find “receipts”. Mr. Williams chhoses his audience purposefully. They are women. He is used to being around that are more or less like his grandmother. Older church women, strong in their faith, that seldom get on line, and when they do, they don’t follow or interact with many but will watch his live. Most of the women, as I said, are older church women, and most of them are overweight, and hold nostalgia about the foods he talks about. Whether the food is good or not. Prepared correctly or not, they are already sold because he has learned the art of storytelling. He weaves a tale so eloquently, that he has garnered their rapt attention and devotion, as he pulls a smoke and mirrors game on these gullible sheep. He knows his fan base. He knows what they go for. What they want to hear. And he delivers. And when it seems like they are starting to waiver and asked too many why questions? He starts crying and bemoaning the travesty of him being singled out, and says it’s the devil mad at him for doing so well. He then speaks about depression and how all of “this” is affecting him and how he just wants to cook, make people happy, and mind his own business but “they” won’t let him because they are jelous people, trying to stop God’s Blessings. And now, the evidence against him is all fabricated because some jealous black women can’t accept that he’s blessed and has the “best” followers hands down. His followers are not only delusional, but also cult-like and sadly, just don’t want to be wrong.