The latest lengthy dive into allegations of sexual misconduct comes via Eater—and, as the publication suggests, involves a chef. Mario Batali has been named by four unnamed women as having touched them inappropriately "in a pattern of behavior that appears to span at least two decades"; Eater also says he was widely described as continually using sexual innuendo in his restaurants. Three of the women were employed by Batali at one point; the woman who was not says while at a party in New Orleans, someone collided with her, spilling wine down her shirt. She alleges Batali "just went to town" and began rubbing her breasts while saying something along the lines of "Let me help you with that." Her characterization of him: "He gets wasted, he’s arrogant, and he acts like he’s God’s gift to women."
The other three accusers described having their buttocks or breasts grabbed. Eater reports that a complaint was made in October to Batali & Bastianich Hospitality Group, which is involved with 24 restaurants owned in part by Batali and Joe Bastianich, and that the chef was reprimanded and attended training. Now, Batali says he's giving up day-to-day operations of his businesses and admitted that "much of the behavior described does, in fact, match up with ways I have acted. That behavior was wrong and there are no excuses." ABC says it has asked Batali to give up his co-hosting duties at The Chew while it reviews the allegations. Anthony Bourdain foreshadowed the news, tweeting Sunday, "Trust me. Monday is really gonna suck." On Monday he tweeted, "It's Batali. And it's bad." (More Mario Batali stories.)
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