About Darnell “SuperChef” Ferguson

Darnell “SuperChef” Ferguson has spent the better part of his life overcoming adversity, inspiring and helping others, all while challenging himself to be a better person each and every day.

A recent contender on Guy Fieri’s “Tournament of Champions,” Darnell won in his round against the legendary Alex Guarnaschelli. As Fieri told Darnell, “You just pulled off the biggest upset in culinary history.” Darnell is also well known for winning the “Ultimate Thanksgiving Challenge” hosted by Giada De Laurentis on The Food Network in 2018, He has appeared on “TODAY,” “The Rachael Ray Show” alongside Emeril Lagasse, Guy Fieri’s “Guy’s Grocery Games” (episodes: ‘Extreme Budget Challenge,’ ‘Masters Tournament,’ ‘Mother’s Day Special,’ and ‘Burger Challenge’), “Beat Bobby Flay” on The Food Network, “Cheap Eats” on The Cooking Channel,” HLN’s “Michaela,” The Travel Channel, “The 700 Club,” and his restaurant was named one of the “Top 12 Best Breakfast In America” by The Cooking Channels “Man’s Greatest Foods.” Darnell also cooked for Team USA at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

While his accolades speak volumes, success hasn’t always come easy to Darnell. Originally from Ohio, Darnell’s love for cooking started from adolescence and would continue on as he graduated from Sullivan University in Kentucky with a degree in the Culinary Arts. However, after taking a wrong turn along his journey, Darnell found himself on a self-destructive path, leaving him homeless, in and out of jail, and unemployed for nearly a year. Thanks to his faith, Darnell used the time to reflect on his past and to reassess his life purpose. A pivotal moment was when Darnell remembered someone speaking about being a statistic and never recovering once you enter the system. He did not want to be another statistic and he knew the only way to get out of the system was to focus and to become serious about something he loved and that he could do well, which for him had always been cooking. To Darnell food can represent and change your life. With relentless drive and newfound spirit, Darnell’s best and brightest decision was to bring high-end fine dining to short-order cooking in Louisville, Kentucky. In 2012, Darnell began a series of pop-up restaurants serving breakfast within existing restaurants that only served lunch and dinner. This innovative approach led Darnell to open up his first ‘SuperChefs’ restaurant in 2015. Darnell’s unique style of “Urban Eclectic” cooking blends together traditional flavors in untraditional ways with a creative presentation.

The breakfast style restaurant is themed, designed and appropriately named after a superhero to represent the strong individuals we are as human beings and to acknowledge that everyone has the ability to be an everyday superhero.

Unfortunately, just a few months into business, Darnell faced yet another life altering challenge when a fire broke out at SuperChefs that could not be controlled in time. The original SuperChefs was lost, but as Darnell explains, “The difference between where I was at and where God wanted me to be was based on my ability to patiently suffer. I went through it knowing I could come out the other side.” The experience did not just open doors, it would ‘open gateways,’ as Darnell explains. Soon after the restaurant burnt down, Darnell received an outpour of interest from celebrity chefs and television producers requesting he share his story with the world. The opportunities allowed Darnell to reopen SuperChefs and to share his gratitude for his blessings by continuously giving back to the community. Darnell teaches kids, communities, and those in need how cooking can be a positive and creative outlet by employing teens, young adults, and those in need. He also serves on the board for the national non-profit, ‘Blessings in a Backpack,’ where he provides paper bag lunches for kids on the weekends, as well as for the Louisville based ‘Children Shouldn’t Hunger.’

In April 2019, SuperChefs opened a second location in Alabama, called Superhero Chefs. The positive and upbeat energy that Darnell is most known for is felt by SuperChef customers upon arrival as their motto is “we dress our food like we dress ourselves,” Darnell gets you with your eyes and keeps you coming back with your heart.

During his spare time, Darnell spends time with his wife and their eight kids at their home in Alabama.