Celebrity chef Mario Batali was recently acquitted of all charges and claims of sexual misconduct against him. Batali’s case was postponed due to the onset of the pandemic, but was finally concluded in May when the jury acquitted him of all charges. The case of Mario Batali, which came to light as a result of the #MeToo movement, is being filmed. It airs this week under the title The Fall of a Superstar Chef. But before the show, here’s everything you need to know about the TV personality.
WATCH: A judge found a celebrity chef #MarioBatali not guilty of sexual assault and indecent assault. Batali was charged with forced kissing and groping #NataliTene at a Boston restaurant in 2017. pic.twitter.com/K85AZqjb3O
— Law&Crime Network (@LawCrimeNetwork) May 10, 2022
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Who exactly is Mario Batali? Misconduct and Claims
Batali is a well known American celebrity chef and author. He used to run a multi-million dollar food business and was a well-known TV personality who hosted a chat show during the day. However, its demise began in 2017 in the wake of the #MeToo movement. Batali was one of several high-profile chefs charged with sexual assault and harassment. The big blow, however, came from Natali Tene, who filed a lawsuit against Batali, demanding unspecified damages for severe mental anguish.
Tene said that in 2017 Batali touched her inappropriately and kissed her vigorously while drunkenly posing for photos with her at a bar near Boston’s Eataly, a local Italian food store and restaurant that Batali partly owns. The complaint was filed in 2018 and Batali was charged with assault in 2019. Tene wanted to tell her whole story and reveal what had happened to her, but Batali’s lawyers said she lied and made up the story for money.
Judge James Stanton acquitted Batali in a non-jury trial, stating that the facts Tene presented did not match her claims. In the case, Batali pleaded not guilty. If found guilty, Mario Batali could face two and a half years in prison and be labeled a sex offender.
More about the claims against Mario Batali
It is not the first time that the chef has been accused of improper conduct. In 2017, as the #MeToo movement gained momentum, four women came forward to accuse Batali of inappropriate behavior. Following the allegations, he resigned from his restaurant business administration and from his ABC cooking show.
Earlier, Batali apologized for his actions, saying:
“I have made countless mistakes and I am very sorry to disappoint my friends, family, fans and team.” My actions were inappropriate and there are no excuses. “I accept full responsibility.”
Batali, his business partner and his New York City restaurant business tried to clear the air by paying $600,000 in restitution. This followed allegations of sexual harassment filed by Batali’s regular employees against him and his restaurant managers.
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