(NewsNation) — Celebrity chef Guy Fieri’s restaurant Chicken Guy! is being sued by a former contestant who won a Food Network cooking competition, “Guys’ Chance of a Lifetime” in 2022, for breach of contract.
Philadelphia-based chef Kevin Cooper filed a lawsuit on June 27 against Fieri’s brand, Chicken Guy, LLC and Earl Enterprises, LLC, owned by Fieri’s business partner, Robert Earl.
According to a complaint filed in federal court, Cooper was supposed to receive a Chicken Guy! franchise, a build out of the space for the franchise, operational expenses if they exceed the revenue of the franchise in the first year, a guaranteed $100,000 salary for the first year, a waiver of franchise fees, and a $10,000 stipend for legal fees for the franchise.
The filing claims Cooper did not receive the contract benefits, including the promised six-figure first-year salary.
Cooper won the Food Network game show in 2022. The Chicken Guy! franchise opened on Feb. 8, 2024 and closed on Feb. 23, 2025 at the King of Prussia mall in Southeast Pennsylvania.
Cooper is seeking $100,000 to compensate for the allegedly unpaid salary and $68,933.26 in unpaid expenses.
The details as to why Cooper’s franchise closed were not included in the complaint.
NewsNation has reached out to Guy Fieri and Kevin Cooper for comment and has not heard back.