//The Truth About Chef Mario Batali Finally Revealed

The Truth About Chef Mario Batali Finally Revealed

He’s a well-known Iron Chef and a once-successful restaurateur, almost as famous for his brand of Italian cooking as he is for his orange Crocs, ponytail, and zip-up vests. But while you’re sure to have seen him on The Food Network and The Chew, there’s a lot you don’t know about Mario Batali’s sometimes sordid past.

In October 2017, an employee lodged the first formal misconduct complaint against Batali. And according to Eater, in the following months more people started coming forward with accusations of inappropriate behavior against the chef, both during and outside of work. One woman even claimed Batali cornered her in a small room, forcing her to climb over him to escape. And others called him a quote “bully” and, generally an “awful person.”

Accusations of misconduct go back to the ’90s, and both current and former employees have come forward to claim they were targets of Batali’s unwanted advances. Other former coworkers have corroborated their stories. While Batali & Bastianich Hospitality Group and partner Joe Bastianich condemned the actions and reiterated a commitment to providing a safe work environment for their employees, Batali didn’t make any denials. He said in a statement,

“I apologize to the people I have mistreated and hurt…Much of the behavior described does, in fact, match up with ways I have acted. That behavior was wrong and there are no excuses. I take full responsibility and am deeply sorry.”

As a result of the accusations, he was asked to leave The Chew, and took a leave of absence from other business endeavors. In May of 2018, the NYPD announced they were conducting an investigation into the accusations, but that investigation was closed in January 2019 with no charges filed. According to CNN, only one of the two cases being investigated was within the statute of limitations, and the NYPD was unable to find probable cause for either case. By March 2019, Batali officially dissolved his restaurant partnerships.

But before his downfall, the chef made quite a mark in the food industry.

Watch the full video to hear more of the truth about chef Mario Batali finally revealed!

#MarioBatali #FoodNetwork

Misconduct allegations | 0:17
Meditation | 1:56
Industry advice | 2:41
Meatless Mondays | 3:17
Tip-skimming lawsuit | 4:04
Skirting death | 4:51
What’s with the Crocs? | 5:30
Cheating inspections? | 6:03
A bad call | 7:07
Pot brownie fail | 8:03
The Obamas’ last state dinner | 8:46
Golfing and charity | 9:29
Fighting food waste | 10:10

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