Celebrity chef Mario Batali accepts $ 600,000 sexual harassment settlement

NEW YORK, July 23 (Reuters) – Celebrity chef Mario Batali and his business partner agreed to pay at least 20 former employees $ 600,000 after an investigation found their Manhattan restaurants were sexually harassed, the New York attorney general announced on Friday.

Babbo, Lupa and Del Posto’s culture of groping, kissing, unwanted hugs, sexual advances and explicit comments violated New York’s human rights laws, Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement.

After waiters and other workers filed complaints, Batali sold its stake in its restaurants in 2019. Del Posto closed in April.

“When my colleagues and I were sexually harassed by several people at Del Posto, the restaurant management made us feel like we were asking for it – as if it was a rite of passage to be harassed at work”, Juliana Imperati , a former line cook at Del Posto, said in a statement provided by the attorney general’s office.

Attorney General’s investigation revealed Batali himself grabbed a waitress’ hand and pulled it to his crotch, and showed male waiter an “unwelcome” pornographic video, summary says of the regulations.

Male restaurant managers made rude comments of a sexual nature, told employees to wear makeup and suggested to some of them that they should have breast implants. Some were told that they could not be promoted to captains because they were a “girl”.

Batali could not be reached immediately for comment, but told The New York Times he would not publicly discuss the settlement.

The $ 600,000 settlement will be paid by Batali; his partner, Joseph Bastianich; and their management company, Pasta Resources, formerly known as B&B Hospitality.

In 2018, Batali denied any allegation of sexual assault, but apologized for behavior he admitted was “deeply inappropriate.”

Boston prosecutors in 2019 separately charged Batali with groping and forcibly kissing a woman at a restaurant in 2017. He pleaded not guilty. No trial date has been set.

Reporting by Jonathan Allen; additional reporting by Nate Raymond Editing by Marguerita Choy

Our Standards: Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.