A Florida judge asked a man accused of punching his ex-girlfriend in the mouth how to keep her steaks from getting chewy, then she set his bond

A Florida judge has found herself at the center of a controversy after a video showed her swapping steak-cooking tips with a man accused of assaulting his ex-girlfriend. The conversation happened during a bond hearing in Broward County, where Judge Allison Gilman was presiding over the case against Christopher Johnson.

Johnson had been arrested after an argument with his former partner allegedly turned violent. According to the Sunrise Police Department and Globe, he is accused of pulling the woman’s hair and punching her in the mouth.

Investigators also said Johnson gave several different versions of what happened. Police noted that his accounts did not match the injuries documented on the alleged victim.

The hearing turned into a conversation about steak

Those details, however, were not what caught viewers’ attention when footage from the hearing began circulating. Instead of discussing the allegations, Gilman turned to Johnson’s job as a professional chef and asked him about cooking.

She wanted to know what he would prepare for her. Johnson suggested a steak on the grill, and the two began talking about how to cook one properly. Gilman said her own attempts at making steak at home were hit or miss.

She said the meat often ended up undercooked, overcooked, or burnt. Johnson offered a solution, telling her to rotate the steak on the grill using the “ten o’clock and two o’clock” positions.

Gilman then asked how to keep steak from becoming too chewy, prompting another response from Johnson. She eventually ended the exchange with the remark, “but that’s for another day, I guess.”

The hearing then returned to the reason Johnson was in court. Gilman set his bond at $1,500. When she learned he could afford it, she brought up his workplace, Slackers, and added, “Slackers? I guess I’ll have to come to Slackers.”

Domestic violence advocates were concerned about the message it sent

Johnson later posted bond and was released. He was ordered to have no contact with the woman involved in the case. The video prompted criticism from domestic violence advocates, including Dr. Linda Parker, CEO of Women in Distress, who questioned how a hearing involving assault allegations had turned into an extended conversation about steak.

Parker warned that survivors watching the exchange could get the impression their experiences would not be treated with the seriousness they deserve. She stressed that people who report abuse need to feel the justice system will listen to them and take steps to protect them.

The stakes in these cases can be high, as shown by a case in Kentucky, where a man allegedly crashed a truck into his ex-girlfriend’s home before stabbing her.

It is unclear whether the judge will face disciplinary action

Critics say the casual tone was difficult to reconcile with the allegations Johnson was facing. Broward County’s chief judge confirmed awareness of the footage but declined to comment on whether Gilman would face a formal administrative review.

Gilman has not publicly addressed the criticism in available reports, and it remains unclear whether the matter will lead to any disciplinary action. Johnson has not been convicted, and the allegations against him have yet to be tested in court.