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TikTok’s Chef Way, whose real name is Waymond Wesley, is facing immense backlash after earlier racist tweets where he had harassed women surfaced online.
As the controversy gained traction, Anova Culinary announced that they were ending their collaboration with the social media personality. Netizens have since taken to social media to express their disappointment.
On January 9, the TikToker took to his official Twitter account after several women exposed him online. Chef Way apologized for his earlier tweets and claimed that he was a “flawed man” then. He also added that he would “continue to heal and learn.” His tweet read:
“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.”
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What did Waymond Wesley do?
Tweets from 2015 and 2016, where Waymond Wesley reportedly harassed Black women, have come to light. In the posts, it appeared as if the TikToker had a different username.
In a tweet, netizen @IamHogoe claimed that Waymond Wesley had attacked her because of her “dark skin.” He had reportedly told her that her complexion made her look “ugly.” The tweet read:
“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.”
Another Twitter user, Gabrielle Perry, MPH claimed that Waymond Wesley had asked her to “unalive” herself and had harassed her “for no reason.” She said in the tweet:
“This man told me I needed to unalive myself years ago after my arrest and harassed me for no reason. I didn’t harm anyone or do anything to anybody. And he used a time in my life when I was homeless and poor as a formerly incarcerated woman to kick me down even further.”
In another tweet, Wesley had commented on a light-skinned woman and used her picture to fat-shame other women. He wrote:
“This is the perfect size woman and skin tone. She’s healthy. Anything bigger/darler than this is garbage.”
In an older tweet, Wesley had called a Black woman “too black,” and compared two women where one had straight hair and the other person had long waves. He wrote - “real beauty vs weave and lies.”
Netizens slam Waymond Wesley for resurfaced tweets
Internet users were disappointed in the Houston-based chef. Many were disheartened to read the tweets that have come to light and were quick to condemn his actions. A few reactions to the controversy read:
Chef Way's collaboration with Anova Culinary comes to an end
Stephen Svajian, the CEO of Anova Culinary, took to Twitter to announce that they were separating from the TikToker. He had this to say in another tweet:
“I believe that brands are about values. We want to partner with individuals that reflect our own values. Chef way clearly does not represent the values we hold dear.”
Twitter user @aafricanempress revealed on Twitter that apart from being a TikTok chef, Waymond Wesley worked at the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.
