Netflix chef speaks out after racially charged attack in San Francisco

A chef who starred in the Netflix limited series “You Are What You Eat: A Twin Experiment” is speaking out after suffering a racially charged attack in San Francisco on Sunday.  

Wendy Drew was leaving Cafe Terminus in the Financial District around 9:30 p.m. after a business meeting when a man called her a racial slur. When Drew, who is Black, proceeded to ask the man why he referred to her in that way, she said he hit her across the head.  

“This guy, a regular-looking guy, walked by and called me the N-word,” Drew said.

Drew, who was born in South Africa, then proceeded to pull the suspect into the Drumm Street liquor store, where they continued to fight.  

Surveillance footage from the store showed Drew being held down by the suspect, identified as Irvin Rivera-Lara, and repeatedly punching her. Footage shows that as the pair tussled near a fridge, a customer pepper-sprayed Rivera-Lara.

The suspect then stands and attempts to leave. Drew tried to prevent him from leaving the store but was pushed aside.  

“Call 911! I kept screaming. I said,’“You’re not getting away. You are going to jail today,’” Drew said.

Outside the store, Drew’s boyfriend and others at Cafe Terminus ran out and held the man down until police arrived, according to Drew.  

She was then transported to a local hospital and had a gash near her eye glued shut.  

“I’m really grateful that although I was being beaten, I was thinking, ‘How do I get this person off the streets?’” she said.

Rivera-Lara. 31, was then arrested on suspicion of assault likely to cause significant bodily injury, committing a hate crime, and providing false information to an officer.

Last year, he was arrested for attacking the co-owner of a Haight Street sandwich shop after being confronted for urinating on trash cans nearby.