Famous Food

The 50th anniversary of the Congressional Black Caucus was off the hook, thanks to the host -- Vice President Kamala Harris -- and her menu did not disappoint ... not by a longshot!!!

We got Congressman Gregory Meeks on the Hill Monday, and he could not be prouder of the event ... an event hosted by a former CBC member at the Naval Observatory, the Vice President's residence. Meeks says it's significant because the Veep understands the issues that top the CBC's agenda.

Now, as for the meal ... well, Meeks says it was amazing -- hors d'oeuvres, fish tacos, lamb, avocado rolls, and on and on.

Darnell Ferguson has come a long, long way to become a Food Network star and big-time restaurateur -- success not a lot of people would've predicted when he was living out of his car.

The man best known as SuperChef joined us Friday on "TMZ Live" to break down his new competition show, "Tiny Food Fight." No, contestants aren't throwing raisins at each other, they're cooking real food, but on a nearly microscopic scale. It's freakin' wild, and DF says it takes a ton of skill.

The new show -- streaming now on Discovery Plus and hosted by comedian Mamrie Hart -- pits contestants facing off in tiny food-themed challenges. The winners take home $5k and a trophy. A tiny one, at that.

Darnell's no stranger to food and food competitions ... having won Giada De Laurentiis' "Ultimate Thanksgiving Challenge" and Guy Fieri's "Tournament of Champions."

They don't call him SuperChef for nothing!

'Tiny Food' is just the latest success for Darnell who told us what it took for him to overcome homelessness to launch his own culinary empire ... starting with a breakfast pop-up joint he almost seemed embarrassed to operate.

Watch the video ... SuperChef explains why it was so humiliating, and also reveals how he got himself outta several bad decisions and into really good ones.

Actor Eddie Deezen's restaurant problems have escalated, because he just got arrested for assault after cops say he refused to leave one -- and unloaded on officers on his way out.

According to a police report, Eddie -- best known for playing nerdy Eugene Felsnic in the original 'Grease' movies -- was causing a scene at a restaurant in LaVale, Maryland around lunchtime Thursday and refusing to leave, so cops were called.

Law enforcement says when deputies arrived, Eddie ran to hide behind a woman in a booth and refused multiple orders from cops to exit, so he had to be forcibly removed.

According to the report, Deezen threw numerous items at deputies during the incident -- including plates, bowls and food and actually struck one of the deputies.

Eddie was eventually removed -- shirtless, as you can see -- and hauled off to jail, where he's been charged with second-degree assault, disorderly conduct and trespassing.

You may recall ... Deezen was involved in a bizarre situation earlier this year where a Maryland waitress accused him of being a creep and harassing her, but then he went on social media and accused her of cyberbullying.

The Met Gala chef curator is defending the quality of the food served at the ritzy shindig ... this after Keke Palmer posted pics of the grub that seemed reminiscent of the Fyre Festival.

Marcus Samuelsson -- the restaurateur/chef who helped select the 10 up-and-coming chefs who created the Met Gala menu -- tells TMZ ... for starters, yes, Keke's picture is in fact some of what was served at the $30k-$50k per ticket soiree.

As for Keke's plate, Marcus tells us it was barley topped with roasted mushrooms, tomato salad with corn and zucchini slices. Marcus says food, like anything, is a matter of taste, and it tasted plenty good.

Marcus says the 3-course meal was delicious ... and the feedback he got has been incredible.

Marcus, in collaboration with Bon Appétit, selected and then challenged 10 NY chefs to create a sustainable, plant-based menu ... hence all the fruits and veggies. However ... Keke's pic, which was displaying the entree, had just about everyone talking smack on social media.

One person wrote, "This was clearly a 'eat before you get there' type of thing." Someone else said, "They feeding y'all like it's Fyre Festival."

Some of the fare included 6 hors d'oeuvres and a watermelon pumpkin salad.

Dessert included an apple topped with chocolate mousse ... because this event's about as boujee as it gets.

The Subway worker who got suspended for aggressively stopping an armed man from robbing the store and then posting the surveillance video says she's afraid to go home ... because the crook has her info.

Araceli Sotelo, the Subway worker who went viral for fending off her attacker, tells TMZ ... she's scared the robber could be waiting for her outside her house because he stole her purse and her ID, and the whole ordeal has taken a huge toll on her mental health.

Araceli says she feels like Subway doesn't have her back after she got indefinitely suspended from the store she works at in Rockford, IL ... and she's not sure when she'll be allowed back.

She tells us why she defended herself and the store instead of just letting the crook have his way. She's also considering legal action against Subway.

Even the best basketball player on the planet screams for ice cream ... 'cause LeBron James couldn't help himself from devouring a cold treat while vacationing this week -- and TMZ Sports has the pics!!

36-year-old LBJ has been getting some R&R in Europe over the past week ... getting cozy with his wife, Savannah, and hanging with buddies in Italy -- even Elton John!!

Now, King James has found his way to France -- the town of Calvi in Corsica to be exact -- and stopped for a quick cone before hopping back on their lavish yacht to take off to their next destination.

Worth noting -- Bron's been loving the ScHoolboy Q bucket hat look during this trip ... and we're here for it!!

On top of the hat, James is sporting a blue-on-blue look ... and we know what you REALLY care about -- he's rocking some Nike Sacai x LDWaffle "Varsity Blue" sneakers, which are reselling for more than $600 right now on some sites.

Larry Elder didn't seem to win over any voters in Venice, CA where a campaign stop turned ugly as a woman tried to egg him, threw punches ... and someone even fired a pellet gun!!!

The conservative talk show host, and Republican leader in the CA Governor recall election -- made the trip to the beach community Tuesday to address the homeless crisis, but got a very hostile greeting from at least one woman wearing a gorilla mask.

Video shows the woman hurl an egg, just missing the back of Elder's head ... and then one of his staffers quickly got in her face. She didn't back down and loudly threatened the man, before hauling back and punching him. He did not retaliate, but then another man stepped up and barked threats at Elder and his team.

The nasty face-off continued until security whisked the candidate into a waiting SUV.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... someone from the crowd fired a pellet gun -- although it's not on video -- and struck a member of Elder's team. We're told cops are investigating, but no one's been arrested yet.

Larry's getting lots of attention as the top Republican candidate in a crowded field looking to replace incumbent California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is up for a recall.

Tuesday is the deadline to cast a vote, and it's getting hot coming down the home stretch.

A Clemson football fan may have to make a trip to the Mayo Clinic after scarfing down a container of mayonnaise during a game.

The fan was amped for Saturday night's Duke's Mayo Classic -- Clemson vs. Georgia. The dude showed up with an enormous tub of mayo and proceeded to scarf as much down as he could stomach.

The condiment-loving fan was splashed all over TV during the game, which was broadcast by ESPN. We're guessing viewers swore off mayo with their game snacks.

Mind you ... this type of stunt also went down in the A.M., not that an afternoon or evening display would have been less stomach-turning.

Another fan slathered himself with a gallon of mayo ... it's as disgusting as it is hilarious.

The condition of the dudes who inhaled the condiment is unknown, but our educated guess ... it cannot be good.

The Food Network wants to make it clear ... it has NO relationship anymore with the former FN host who went on a rant over the Texas anti-abortion law and the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to punt.

Josh Denny -- a comedian who hosted Food Network's "Ginormous Food," and has described himself as a "canceled" comedian -- went on a tear over the Texas law, telling women to "calm down." He also took issue that most women would have no idea they were pregnant in the first 6 weeks, saying in disgusting fashion ... "Only whores wouldn't know for 6 weeks."

People on social media tore into Denny, who responded with this ... “Your freedom to be offended is commensurate to my freedom to offend you.”

A guy waded through waist-deep waters just to deliver grub to a hungry New Yorker during Hurricane Ida's massive flooding -- and one photog wants to ID him ... and get him paid!

The man in this video was filmed by Johnny Miller, who runs a freelance photography business -- among other ventures -- and who couldn't believe this dude got stuck on a food run for someone who might've used GrubHub, or any number of other delivery apps.

He wrote ... "And through it all! @Grubhub delivery still out there bringing your dinner #ida #flooding #brooklyn. Miller says this was in Willamsburg, around 10 PM on Wednesday.

The next day, Miller set out on a mission to actually find this dude, and give him some dough ... because the guy seems to need it if he's putting himself at risk for a gig job like this during a dangerous storm. And so, JM hit the streets ... using context clues he picked up on.

After a hard search in the same area, Miller says he came up empty -- this upon realizing he might've been using a generic Chinese takeout bag ... making it virtually impossible to pin him down. He even talked to other delivery bikers there, and they too had no clue.

Miller didn't give up ... requesting the help of the NYT, plus the general public. He's determined to locate the man and bring his story out in the open. Looks like he might've made some groundwork with an org called the Workers Justice Project, which dabbles in this field and might be able to assist in identifying the gig worker. Even AOC got in it!

She noted that now is NOT the time to be ordering delivery in NYC ... because some of these "deliveristas" might not have a choice but to work in these harsh conditions, and they shouldn't have to be subjected to that. The video has sparked larger talks about this type of work in general, with some pointing out these folks are legitimately underpaid and exploited.

BTW, this is far from the only bike food courier who's roughing in the flood ... there are other stories and images of workers doing the exact same thing -- and it's tough to see.

LeBron James was having a nice meal with his wife on a romantic getaway to Italy when someone came up to their table to say hello ... and it was none other than Elton John!!!

The Los Angeles Lakers stud and 'Space Jam 2' star was enjoying the best Italian food money can buy while on vacation in Nerano with his wife, Savannah, when the Rocketman sauntered over to their table to exchange pleasantries.

LeBron's been with the Lakers for three years so he knows Hollywood is a small town ... and it seems he's finding out the same several time zones away in Italy.

LeBron and his entourage looked pretty interested in whatever Elton had to say ... and then they went back to their pasta and vino.

We've all been there ... pulling up to McDonald's for a McFlurry late at night only to discover the machine is broken -- AGAIN. Enter the Federal Trade Commission.

The FTC is looking into the case of those pesky machines, and why they constantly go down.

The problem has been the butt of late-night jokes. Wendy's and Jack in the Box have even targeted Mickey Dees on social media. The problem's been so persistent ... there's a website dubbed McBroken ... which tracks ice cream machine outages across the country.

The problem? McDonald's ice cream machines are overly complicated to operate and incredibly difficult to clean ... often making them susceptible to breaking down. According to the Wall Street Journal ... the machines require a nightly automated heat-cleaning cycle that can last up to 4 hours to get rid of the bacteria.

And, when the cleaning cycle fails, the machines become useless until a repairman comes along. That takes time, and sometimes employees take matters into their own hands.

But, the FTC's apparently had enough ... it sent a letter to franchisees earlier this summer. In the letter, obtained by the WSJ, the agency wants to know how McDonald's reviews suppliers and equipment, including the ice cream machines.

Celebrity chef Cat Cora's estranged wife will have plenty of options in the single lane ... 'cause she scored not one, not two, but THREE cars in her divorce settlement.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ ... the judge signed off on Nicole Ehrlich and Cat's divorce judgment, which will become final November 8.

Nicole will keep a 2010 Lexus RX 350, 2015 Audi CV and a 2017 Jeep. She'll also get to keep some furniture, jewelry and several bank accounts.

As for the 'Iron Chef' and "Around the World in 80 Plates" star ... she's also getting some furniture, jewelry and artwork ... as well as some of her companies.

The former couple hammered out a deal. Although they each have children from prior marriages, the couple didn't have any minor children together, so there were no complicated issues to work out there. They also waived the right to receive spousal support.

That being said ... seems Cat's also piled up some debt, including $100k in support obligations to her ex-wife, Jennifer. The docs make it clear ... that's HER responsibility after Nicole and Cat are officially dunzo.

Beyonce and Jay-Z celebrated an anniversary Saturday night ... the 18th anniversary of 40/40.

A ton of celebs hit the party, including Megan Thee Stallion, Swizz Beatz, Quincy Jones, Meek Mill, Remy Ma, Lil Uzi Vert, Van Jones, Pusha T, Joe Budden, Belly, Fabolous and Victor Cruz.

We tried asking Jay about the flap over the blood diamond Beyonce was wearing in their Tiffany and Co. ad, but that was a no-go.

Van Jones talked to us about Jay getting into gaming, and why it makes total sense and why it's important for the Black community to get involved at the ground stage.

The 40/40 Club, a chain of Jay's sports bars and lounges, opened in NYC back in 2003, followed by ATL in 2005, Vegas 2 years later and the Barclays Center in 2012.

Beyonce looked amazing ... you gotta give it to her for the pink platform heels.

We learned 2 things about 2 Chainz as he made his way into a club last night -- he doesn't carry cash ... and he doesn't f*** with candy.

The rapper was heading into The Highlight Room at the Dream Hollywood hotel late Wednesday night when he was approached by some kids selling candy ... and he politely declined.

2 Chainz explained to the youngins he doesn't have a bankroll on him or he'd just give them some cash, but after they offered him the candy anyway ... he still turned it down.

If ya don't know ... 2 Chainz began gardening and growing his own healthy food in recent years, and candy clearly doesn't fit into his diet.

He was cool with the kids selling the sweets though, telling them to keep doing what they're doing ... because it's better than doing anything illegal.

Celebrity chef Jet Tila let his dangerous dog bite a young child on the nose and now she's scarred for life ... at least that's how the kid's parents see it, according to a new lawsuit.

The famed chef and Food Network regular is being sued by the young girl's folks, who claim his dog, Halo, viciously attacked their daughter when she went up to say hello to the pooch.

According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Jet rented out a playground at the preschool his kid and the girl attend for an event the day after Christmas, and had his dog leashed to a table.

The docs say Jet's wife "chose to relinquish personal control" of Halo and that's when the girl "gently went up" to the Belgian Malinois and the dog started barking and attacked, biting her and leaving a gash on her nose.

The child's family says she was rushed to the ER, and they claim her injuries will permanently disfigure her face.

In the suit, the parents also claim Jet knew his dog was capable of being "aggressive, vicious, and excessively dangerous."