Over the holiday weekend, "Top Chef" contestant and celebrity chef Justin Sutherland was involved in a boating accident, suffering injuries to head, jaw and arm.
According to a GoFundMe set up for Sutherland, the accident occurred on Sunday, July 3, while he was piloting his boat. As the boat was moving, Sutherland’s hat blew off and when he tried to grab it, a wave hit the boat and knocked him overboard. Sutherland landed in the water near the boat’s motor and the propeller caused a number of injuries to his head and left arm.
While Sutherland is currently receiving treatment in the hospital, his family and friends have a positive outlook regarding his recovery due to injuries sustained in the incident, which were serious but not life-threatening.
“The great news is, he is going to be fine. With some time, he will possibly be better than fine,” reads the GoFundMe, adding that Sutherland has already undergone several surgeries including one to a severely broken jaw.
Organizers also reported that there appears to be no nerve damage to Sutherland’s arm, and doctors are optimistic about the recovery to his jaw and face with several more surgeries. “He is adding more character to the face we know and love, and the most important news, his beard is intact,” reads the GoFundMe.
Several prominent chefs, former “Top Chef” castmates and culinary colleagues have expressed their support for Sutherland, including Kwame Onwuachi, Tiffany Faison, JJ Johnson, Eric Adjepong, Michael Twitty and Kristen Kish. "Top Chef" host Padma Lakshmi and Andrew Zimmern tweeted out their well wishes to Sutherland as well.
At the time of the accident, Sutherland had no health insurance, an issue that many people in the restaurant industry face every day. Because of this, friends and family of Sutherland have set up a fundraising drive for his current and future medical care. As of this writing, the GoFundMe for Sutherland has garnered over $180,000 of its $500,000 goal.
On Thursday morning, Sutherland's friends and family gathered in front of Hope Breakfast Bar, the restaurant of his close friend and fellow chef Brian Ingram, in Saint Paul, Minnesota, to update everyone on the long journey Sutherland has ahead of him.
“As tragic and as horrified as we all are by the accident, it becomes a blessing to get an opportunity to sow back into someone who is sown into us,” said Melvin Carter, the mayor of the City of Saint Paul, where Sutherland is based and where his restaurant, Handsome Hog, is located. Carter called Sutherland a "friend" and a "community builder," mentioning that Sutherland has invested his time, money and talents to the city he calls home.
“When I think about Justin, I never have to tell him to think bigger because he’s always got some big grand master plan in line,” Carter said before passing the microphone to Ingram to read a statement prepared by the Sutherland family.
“I will try to get through this without crying too much, but those of you who know me … that’s not going to happen” said Ingram, adding that the Sutherland family, which includes his grandparents, parents, siblings and cousins, thank attendees and donors for the outpouring of support, time and willingness to help Sutherland in any way they can.
After pledging all of the proceeds from the day’s sales at Hope Breakfast Bar — which ended up totaling $14,717 — Ingram said several folks have reached out offering to fundraise using their restaurants and event spaces as well, including Saint Paul entrepreneur Zachary Quinn, who plans to donate all proceeds of the Clayton Anderson Summer Party on July 16 to Sutherland’s recovery fund.
Additionally, Ingram said that Guy Fieri, whose competition “Tournament of Champions” Sutherland competed in earlier this year, pledged his support to Sutherland “both physically and financially.” We reached out to representatives for Fieri for comment but haven’t heard back yet.
According to Ingram, Sutherland has pledged that once his medical needs are met, the rest of the proceeds from his GoFundMe will go towards "starting a charitable foundation."
All in all, Sutherland’s friends and family are optimistic that he will make a full recovery, especially since, as Ingram remarked, Sutherland was already asking for his cell phone mere hours after the accident.
Through tears, Ingram reiterated his gratitude for the love and support of his friend, a small business owner in the hospitality industry.
"There’s a little army of people standing shoulder-to-shoulder with your son," Ingram said to the Sutherland family of the group of more than 20 friends, relatives and supporters standing behind him at the press conference. "He’s truly not only going to be just fine, he’s going to fulfill his purpose, what he was born to do. Justin will change the world."
