A celebrity chef who appeared on the Bravo Network television show “Top Chef Masters” was arrested on DUI and drug possession charges.
Celebrity chef Michael Chiarello was arrested while driving his 2015 Porsche Boxter at 3:27 a.m. last Wednesday on the Silverado Trail in Napa County.
Chiarello, 54, is an Emmy Award-winning chef. He told the arresting officer that he was driving home from his restaurant, Bottega Ristorante in Yountville.
California Highway Patrol spokesperson Marc Renspurger stated that at some point after he was pulled over, the arresting officer determined that Chiarello was under the influence.
Chiarello was taken into custody. He was found to be under the influence and possessed a controlled substance. Jail records indicate that he was released from custody the same day.
A spokesperson for Chiarello said that the chef apologized to those close to him. The spokesperson also indicated that Chiarello intended to defend himself against the charges.
The arrest came just days after a settlement in a lawsuit filed by two former employees had been reached. Katherine Page and Asja Sever, two previous servers at Chiarello’s San Francisco restaurant, filed a lawsuit against Chiarello, alleging sexual harassment.
Chiarello owns several Napa-area businesses. He has appeared on Food Network, PBS, and the Cooking Channel for years. He makes regular appearances on CBS’ “The Early Show” and NBC’s “Today” show. He also makes appearances on Martha Stuart Living Radio.
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