Celebrity chef Madison Cowan evicted from NYC apartment, landlord says he hasn't paid rent in years

NEW YORK -- A judge has ordered celebrity chef Madison Cowan to move out of his apartment in Brooklyn, New York.

Cowan is a well-known former champion of food network shows like "Iron Chef" and "Chopped." He is also known for cooking for some famous people.

His landlord claims Cowan has not paid rent on his Boerum Hill apartment in years and refuses to leave.

Cowan raced down five flights of stairs to avoid our sister station WABC's camera Wednesday.

Cowan is used to moving fast. He's a celebrity chef who whipped up world-class dishes in just minutes on The Food Network.

According to court filings, he's been living in a one-bedroom apartment in a Brooklyn townhouse, where the rent is $2,750 a month.

But his landlord claims he hasn't paid a dime since January 2020.

He's faced eviction multiple times. Last week, marshals tried to evict him yet again but were turned away because Cowan had filed an appeal again.

In civil court, Cowan insisted he couldn't afford to pay, that his livelihood was "seriously impacted by the pandemic," and now the publicity surrounding his rent dispute has made it worse.

"I couldn't get a job," he told the judge, "It all went away."

"If someone doesn't care about their credit, if someone doesn't care about physically being thrown out, it'll take two years. It can take longer. A landlord has to be prepared to endure that type of tenant," said attorney Chad Karp, who is an expert in housing law.

Cowan has two weeks to move out or face eviction once more. His landlord asked not to appear on-camera but says he won't believe it until Cowan is gone.