Eric Adjepong, the Washington, D.C. chef and television personality, has been ordered by a court to stay away from his young daughter for one year following recent family court proceedings. The civil order blocks him from her home, her school and her childcare providers, and it bars any contact through July 10, 2027. Adjepong has said through counsel that he is following the judge’s instructions.
What the court ordered
According to TMZ, the case moved through several hearings beginning in May before a final hearing on July 10 produced the current order, which names the child, Lennox, as the protected person. TMZ reports that the order is set to remain in effect until July 10, 2027, and that no criminal charges were filed in connection with the proceedings.
The child’s mother, Janell Mack, posted on social media that her daughter was "granted a protective order" after speaking up about "one of the most trusted adults in her life." Mack’s attorney, Todd Mohink, told TMZ, "I believe the court did its job to protect the best interest of the child."
Adjepong’s statement
Adjepong, through his attorney, told TMZ that the allegations surfaced in the middle of what he described as a long running divorce and custody proceeding, which he says concluded on June 2, 2026. He said he "intends to protect [his daughter's] privacy" and will strictly comply with the protective order.
He also characterized it as his "fervent hope" that the family can reach a resolution privately, through the legal system, in a way that he believes will serve his daughter’s best interests.
Local ties and TV profile
Adjepong is based in Washington, D.C., where he opened the West African focused restaurant Elmina on 14th Street and has steadily built a local culinary profile. As reported by Axios, Elmina was promoted as a major expansion of his footprint in the city’s dining scene, highlighting his focus on West African flavors.
The Food Network lists Adjepong among its on air talent, a role that has raised his national profile and kept him in the public eye even as the private legal battle over his daughter unfolded in court.
Long running custody fight
The couple separated in 2021, and the resulting divorce and custody dispute has generated multiple filings and temporary orders over the past several years, according to earlier coverage. Parade documented previous disputes, including a temporary protective order that emerged in 2025, framing the current order as the latest turn in a drawn out legal conflict between the former spouses.
Public court records released so far provide only limited information about the specific allegations that led to the newest order.
What a protection order means
Protection orders are civil tools that judges use to limit contact and create a legal buffer for a person the court finds needs protection. While they are civil orders, violating them can expose a person to arrest or other criminal penalties.
The U.S. Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women notes that prosecutors may decide to pursue related criminal charges if there is evidence to support them. Legal guides such as FindLaw explain that a protection order is enforceable on its own, even when prosecutors have not yet filed criminal counts. That distinction helps clarify how a judge can impose a year long stay away order in a case where no criminal charges are filed at the outset.
What remains unclear
Key details about the alleged abuse are not described in the court paperwork that has been made public, and it is not yet known whether investigators or prosecutors will open or continue a criminal inquiry connected to the accusations.
Public reporting at the time of the order indicated there were no criminal charges filed. Any future court filings, and additional documents that may become public, are likely to offer the clearest view of what happens next in the case.
