Celebrity Chef Mario Batali Steps Down Following Accusations Of Sexual Misconduct

When I saw this tweet yesterday…

According to three sources, a famous chef will be the subject of a story about allegations of sexual misconduct…likely out tomorrow.

— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) December 11, 2017

…my first thought was legit, “PLEASE don’t let it be Gordon Ramsay!”

Whew. It’s not. It’s Mario Batali.

Four women have stepped forward and are accusing him of sexual misconduct. One woman, who was a chef who spoke to Batali about possibly working for him, said their conversation got weird quickly. She said he “began rubbing her breasts with his bare hands while saying something like, ‘Let me help you with that,’ as he groped her chest.”

“He just went to town, and I was so shocked,” the chef says. “Jaw on the ground, I just stepped back from him in utter disgust and walked away.”

The chef is one of four women who allege that Batali touched them inappropriately in a pattern of behavior that appears to span at least two decades. Three of the women worked for Batali in some capacity during their careers. One former employee alleges that over the course of two years, he repeatedly grabbed her from behind and held her tightly against his body. Another former employee alleges that he groped her and that, in a separate incident, he compelled her to straddle him; another alleges that he grabbed her breasts at a party, though she no longer worked for him at the time. The woman whose allegations are described above has never worked for Batali, though she works in the restaurant industry.

Batali was reprimanded for inappropriate behavior in the workplace as recently as two months ago. According to a spokesperson for Batali & Bastianich Hospitality Group — the restaurant-management services company that provides support to around 24 restaurants owned by, among others, Batali and Joe Bastianich — in October 2017, a B&B restaurant employee officially reported inappropriate behavior by Batali to the company. It was the first formal complaint about Batali, who was reprimanded and required to undergo training, according to the company.

You can read the full piece here.

“We take these allegations very seriously,” B&B Hospitality Group said in a statement. “We pride ourselves on being a workplace for our employees where they can grow and deliver great service with equal opportunity and free from any discrimination. We have strong policies and practices in place that address sexual harassment. We train employees in these policies and we enforce them, up to and including termination.”

ABC also released a statement:

“We have asked Mario Batali to step away from ‘The Chew’ while we review the allegations that have just recently come to our attention,” ABC said in a statement. “ABC takes matters like this very seriously as we are committed to a safe work environment. While we are unaware of any type of inappropriate behavior involving him and anyone affiliated with the show, we will swiftly address any alleged violations of our standards of conduct.”

Batali has stepped down from his company and TV show. He released the following statement:

“I apologize to the people I have mistreated and hurt. Although the identities of most of the individuals mentioned in these stories have not been revealed to me, much of the behavior described does, in fact, match up with ways I have acted,” Batali said. “That behavior was wrong and there are no excuses. I take full responsibility and am deeply sorry for any pain, humiliation or discomfort I have caused to my peers, employees, customers, friends and family.”

As you can see, he’s not really denying it. He literally said, “Much of the behavior described does, in fact, match up with ways I have acted.”

Sounds like an admission to me.

Yowza.

h/t USA Today