Houston-based chef Waymond Wesley, who goes by the handle Chef Way on TikTok, got dragged by his apron on Twitter over his past tweets insulting Black women.
The chef recently gained attention for a video of him making oxtail pasta that was viewed over 2.1 million times on Twitter. However, this attention led to social media users discovering his past problematic tweets, trolling Black women viciously for sport.
Twitter Digs Up @WaymoTheGod Tweets
Twitter users dug up old tweets from Wesley, dating back to 2015 and 2016, in which he made disparaging comments against Black women, particularly those with dark skin. In one tweet, Wesley, who was tweeting under the username @WaymoTheGod, suggested that “if black lives mattered to Sandra Bland she wouldn’t have taken her own life.” In another, he commented on a photo of a dark-skinned Black woman and said “smh the dark one messed up the pic.”
This you?!?
You must’ve thought Black women were going to forget your misogynoir and anti-blackness.Take a look at the qt’s 🔥🤌🏾👀Twitter don’t forget. https://t.co/qPz8ST3mfQ pic.twitter.com/uAvDNm2WE4
— 𝓣𝓪𝓷𝔂𝓪 𝓓𝓪 𝓤𝓷𝓬𝓸𝓷𝓽𝓻𝓸𝓵𝓵𝓪𝓫𝓵𝓮 🇯🇲 (@MaNkYisObSessEd) January 9, 2023
Chef Sends TikTok Apology 17 Hours After Twitter Controversy
Wesley’s comments, which users referred to as misogynoir and colorism, were met with backlash on social media. People called out Wesley for his harmful language and harassment, and also criticized him for attempting to rebrand himself.
In response to the criticism, Wesley posted an apology on Twitter, saying that he had been “sick in more ways than one” during the period in which he made the controversial comments. He also credited cooking with saving him.
To those I’ve hurt with my past tweets that have resurfaced, I am deeply sorry. That was a moment in my life where I was sick in more ways than one. Cooking saved me. You have watched a flawed man heal. I will continue to heal and learn. Thanks for being along for the journey.
To those I’ve hurt with my past tweets that have resurfaced, I am deeply sorry. That was a moment in my life where I was sick in more ways than one. Cooking saved me. You have watched a flawed man heal. I will continue to heal and learn. Thanks for being along for the journey.
— Chef Way (@ChefWay__) January 9, 2023
However, many users found Wesley’s apology lacking, noting that he had addressed the controversy differently on different platforms.
On Twitter, where the comments went viral and where he has a smaller following, Wesley apologized quickly, but on TikTok, where he has a much larger following, he waited 17 hours to address the issue.
@chefway
Twitter Drags Chef Way, Causing Him To Lose Sponsor
In the end, Wesley eventually posted an apology on TikTok after saying sorry to Twitter users, but it didn’t stop him from from being dragged by users.
The controversy also led to him losing at least one source of his income. Dozens of twitter users tagged Anova Culinary in tweets shaming the disgraced chef who has posts sponsored by the company. The cooking device company eventually announced they’d be parting ways with Wesley in a tweet, citing that the chef’s action didn’t align with their values.
You commented on one of my pics on my old account and said my dark skin made me ugly, I was in high school. Called me all types of butterface. You said if I was light skinned I’d look better. Now you’re a chef? That’s crazy. https://t.co/iMtA18VCzv pic.twitter.com/FHnyQmSGQs
— Thebaglady (@IamHogoe) January 9, 2023
The alfredo, parsley, lemon zest chicken, and Old Bay coming together to cure him of colorism pic.twitter.com/dK6zE7rg6e https://t.co/CKMNmyPLwo
— natahlia-naomi ✨ (@laugh_track_nat) January 9, 2023
“I was sick but cooking saved me” pic.twitter.com/qp56JX824h
— L.I.D (@AllEyes0n_Dee) January 9, 2023
@AnovaCulinary, you are sponsoring someone who made a name for himself spreading hate directed towards Black women. You will not have the customers you court id this is who represents you. #stophateforprofit https://t.co/neYUu9nDEP
— AubreyHall🐝 (@avyny2) January 9, 2023
Thank you to those who let us know. pic.twitter.com/Pxpp1DkOtV
— Anova (@AnovaCulinary) January 9, 2023
Yikes! The chef hasn’t commented any further on the situation.
