Celebrity chef Guy Fieri is facing a lawsuit from Kevin Cooper, the winner of his 2022 Food Network reality show Guy’s Chance of a Lifetime, over a failed franchise deal. The show awarded Cooper the opportunity to run a Chicken Guy restaurant, along with a promised $100,000 salary, waived franchise fees, legal support, and coverage of first-year operating losses. Cooper’s Chicken Guy location opened at the King of Prussia Mall near Philadelphia in February 2024, but closed just over a year later in February 2025. Now, Cooper is suing Fieri’s Chicken Guy LLC and Earl Enterprises, alleging he never received the promised salary or financial assistance, including $69,000 in operational losses, with $39,000 of that tied to unpaid sales tax. While Fieri’s reps have not commented, Cooper shared a cryptic and emotional video on Instagram, reflecting on faith, forgiveness, and staying silent out of fear of being seen as “another Black man pushing the blame.” He emphasized he's not bitter, but ready to speak his truth, saying, “I am completely free, and now I’ve got something to say.” Cooper is known to Food Network fans from previous appearances on Cooks vs. Cons, Guy’s Grocery Games, and Fire Masters.