Even though he is gaining popularity and fame through several channels, celebrity chef Geoffrey Zakarian has been forced to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

Zakarian, who has been on four Food Network shows, including "Chopped", has found himself in trouble financially. This is part of an attempt to fend of the $1 million claims from his kitchen staff at Country in the Carlton Hotel. There are 179 creditors listed in the bankruptcy filing, 152 of which are former cooks.

The majority of these chefs are part of a class-action lawsuit against Zakarian as a restaurant owner and president of a management firm. They claim that he failed to pay his workers for overtime, deducted from their paychecks for staff meals that were never given and falsified pay records in order to shortchange them. Together they are asking for $1 million in damages in $250,000 in penalties.

Despite his fame, Zakarian's legal woes have yet to make a splash in the news.

If you are in need of help while filing for Chapter 7, contact our legal team to get representation from a South Texas bankruptcy attorney!