Qui, the Season 9 victor of “Top Chef”, was arrested Saturday by the Austin Police Department for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend, People reports.
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According to the police affidavit, the girlfriend said she tried to leave the apartment with her son, but that Qui would not allow her to leave, and allegedly pushed his girlfriend and her son away from the door and then threw her against the walls and doors. She told police that she and Qui had been dating for a year and living together for eight months.
The officer also said in the affidavit that the apartment was “in complete disarray, and furniture and glass were broken” or turned over throughout the home. Bail was set at $20,000, and online records do not show Qui in custody as of Monday afternoon.
Austin residents know Qui well from his restaurants Qui and East Side King, and he also won the 2012 southwest regional James Beard Foundation Award for best chef, according to Bravo.
Police responded to Qui’s apartment in East Austin just before 8 a.m. after receiving a call from Qui’s friend who said “his friend and his girlfriend were fighting” in the apartment. When Qui complied and stepped outside, the officer said “he had blood all over his face, arms, legs and clothing”, which consisted of boxer shorts and a tank top.
It said the girlfriend was in pain, bruised, had a cut on her forearm and swelling on her jaw when police arrived.
According to TMZ, the incident was sparked when Qui’s friends propositioned Stephanie Rodriguez for group sex.
He asked her to join them and she did; but when the intoxicated chef began accusing his friends of flirting with her, he kicked them all out.
Qui is charged with unlawful restraint, a Class A misdemeanor, as well as assault causing bodily injury to a family member, a Class A misdemeanor. He opened his first restaurant, Qui, in Austin shortly after his win. He faces misdemeanor charges of assault and unlawful restraint.
According to police, the victim told them Qui was hanging out with friends “indulging in cocaine, xanax, marijuana, and alcohol”.
The affidavit also said that Qui said that his girlfriend did not assault him.
As an art major in college, I was waiting tables to make money, then started selling drugs before I realized I was a bad drug dealer. “Thank you for respecting my privacy”.
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Qui is the owner of the restaurant Qui in Austin.
