Celebrity chef Mario Batali settles sex-assault lawsuits
Celebrity chef Mario Batali has settled a pair of lawsuits by two women alleging he sexually assaulted them in separate encounters in Boston.
“The matters have been resolved to the satisfaction of all parties,” attorneys for the two accusers said in a statement to The Associated Press.
The plaintiffs’ attorneys said “confidentiality obligations” prohibited them from saying more.
The women alleged they were assaulted separately by the 61-year-old restaurateur, whose celebrity hotspots once included Manhattan eateries Babbo, Del Posto, Eataly and Spotted Pig, where he was a primary investor. That West Village gastropub housed a so-called “rape room,” where one of Batali’s alleged transgressions occurred.
Criminal charges connected with allegations made by one of the women whose settlement with Batali was announced Wednesday were dismissed in May. Batali had been accused of groping that Boston woman in a bar in 2017. A conviction could have meant jail time for the famous foodie, who would also have legally been considered a sex offender.
Celebrity chef Mario Batali listens at Boston Municipal Court on the first day of his pandemic-delayed trial on May 9, 2022, in Boston. (Steven Senne/)
Batali stepped away from the 16 restaurants in which he was involved in 2019 amid multiple claims of sexual misconduct. He and partner Joe Bastianich — who was not named in any specific allegations — agreed to pay $600,000 to at least 20 women and men who claim they were sexually harassed while working at their Manhattan locations.
In his prime, the Rutgers University alum and James Beard Foundation award-winning culinary giant frequently appeared on television, including ABC’s “The Chew,” which he co-hosted from 2011 to 2017.
Almost always seen wearing orange Crocs, Batali was known to rub elbows with celebrities including Academy Award winner Gwyneth Paltrow and REM singer Michael Stipe. He also authored nearly a dozen cookbooks prior to his professional demise. His fortunes soured in December 2017 when four women — three of whom had worked for Batali — came forward with misconduct claims against him.
“My behavior was wrong, and there are no excuses,” he said at the time. “I take full responsibility.”
Website Famous Chefs reports Batali has stayed out of the public eye by holing up in his Northport, Mich., home while his scandals unfolded.
With News Wire Services
