Accused of misconduct, Batali steps away
‘The Chew’ co-host says allegations are in line with behavior
Mario Batali, one of the country’s most high-profile chefs and restaurant owners, is stepping away from the daily operations of his businesses and the daytime program he co-hosts on ABC, “The Chew,” amid reports of alleged sexual misconduct.
Batali released a statement after a report published Monday on Eater, the food website, that said four women had alleged that Batali touched them inappropriately in a pattern of behavior that appeared to span at least two decades. Three of the women worked for Batali, and the fourth worked in the restaurant industry, Eater reported.
In his statement, Batali apologized and said that the accusations “match up” with his behavior:
“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,” he said in the statement. “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.”
“I have work to do to try to regain the trust of those I have hurt and disappointed,” he added. “For this reason, I am going to step away from day-to-day operations of my businesses.”
Batali, 57, also recently had been reprimanded because of a complaint made in October by an employee at one of the 24 restaurants in the Batali & Bastianich Hospitality Group, a company spokesman said Monday.
The spokesman said that Batali had been required to undergo sexual harassment training above what is already required of employees. He then volunteered to keep away from the restaurant where the employee worked, and he has done so, said the spokesman, who declined to be identified by name.
The recent allegations against Batali led ABC to ask Batali, who has been on “The Chew” since 2011, to step away “while we review the allegations that have just recently come to our attention,” the network said in a statement.