January 11, 2023
‘This You?’ TikTok Chef Way ‘Canceled’ After Past Tweets Resurface Degrading Black Women
Dragging Black women down is never the way to get ahead. Unfortunately, a popular TikTok chef is getting burnt because of it.
Chef Way had to learn the hard way as past tweets of him belittling Black women have resurfaced.
The tweets from 2015 and 2016 show him making degrading comments about Black women, targeting those with dark skin, and calling an image “messed up.”
Some tweets went in on the Black Lives Matter movement, mocking the death of Sandra Bland. Gaining popularity for his oxtail pasta, Twitter followers caught on to his misogynistic undertones and reposted his old tweets.
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🐝 (@CtRLsMaNkYLOL) January 9, 2023
After being called out for his social media bullying, the chef, whose real name is Waymond Wesley, was quick to apologize: “To those I’ve hurt with my past tweets that have resurfaced, I am deeply sorry,” he tweeted, according to Click 2 Houston.
Blaming it on past trauma, the Houston native claims the tweets came from a moment of “sickness'” and his fans are witnessing a “healed” man.
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 Esq. (@ChefWay__) January 9, 2023
The apology came too late and Wesley had to eat his words. San Francisco-based company, Anova Culinary, has ended their affiliation—several followers tagged the smart-kitchen company in the tweets, making sure they’d see it.
It was a success.
In a Twitter post, the company made a statement regarding a “content partner engaged in behavior not aligning with their values….Hate has no home at Anova and we remain committed to listening to marginalized voices and deeply value diversity.”
Thank you to those who let us know. pic.twitter.com/Pxpp1DkOtV
— Anova (@AnovaCulinary) January 9, 2023
The scandal doesn’t end there for Wesley, a prosecutor with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office in Houston. Being licensed to practice law since 2021, his career is on the line as several people are calling for the office to fire him.
However, that may not happen.
Click 2 Houston relayed a statement from Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg in support of Wesley, saying ‘his recovery is ongoing.’
“I am a believer in second chances, and Mr. Wesley has conducted himself professionally since joining our staff,” Ogg added. “I am confident that will continue.”