Previously, celebrity chef Mario Batali had plead settled a Class Action lawsuit instead of going to trial over substantiated accusations that he and his business partner had long been stealing employees’ pay. Now, he’s been credibly accused of sexual abuse and/or misbehavior – meaning that there was enough evidence for the city government prosecutor to bring charges against him.
He has paid dearly, financially, and reputationally.
Now, he has a lousy reputation.
And, it would not surprise me in the least to know that in some secret, surreptitiously clandestine way, he’s hiding, or protecting his money as best possible.
As I began to investigate the matter, I learned that on several occasions he has sexually abused female employees. At the hearing for one such incident, while he plead not guilty, and then paid several hundred thousands of dollars to settle, he said that, “My past behavior has been deeply inappropriate and I am sincerely remorseful for my actions.”
The first is a story from 2012.
The most recent story appears at the bottom, below the image of him, and is about his arraignment on indecent assault and battery charges stemming from allegations that he forcibly kissed and groped a woman after taking a selfie with her at a Boston restaurant in 2017.
Batali must see the light at the end of the tunnel… and, it’s a train headed straight toward him.
Mario Batali Exits His Restaurants
From
The 20-year partnership between the celebrity chef Mario Batali and the Bastianich family of restaurateurs was formally dissolved on Wednesday, more than a year after several women accused Mr. Batali of sexual harassment and assault.
Mr. Batali “will no longer profit from the restaurants in any way, shape or form,” said Tanya Bastianich Manuali, who will head day-to-day operations at a new company, as yet unnamed, created to replace the Batali & Bastianich Hospitality Group.
The new company will operate the group’s remaining 16 restaurants under a new management and financial structure. Mrs. Bastianich Manuali and her brother, Joe Bastianich, have bought Mr. Batali’s shares in all the restaurants. They would not discuss the terms of the buyout.
Several famous chefs and restaurateurs have recently been accused of sexual harassment, but Mr. Batali is the first to surrender all his restaurants.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/06/dining/mario-batali-bastianich-restaurants.html
Thief Chef Mario Batali
In Proverbs, the Good Book says “Excuses might be found for a thief who steals because he is starving.
“But if he is caught, he must pay back seven times what he stole, even if he has to sell everything in his house.”
I would hardly imagine Mr. Batali qualifies as “starving.”
What, then, should his punishment be?
Mario Batali Agrees to $5.25 Million Settlement
Over Employee Tips
By Benjamin Weiser, Associated Press
March 7, 2012, 6:10 pm
“The celebrity chef and restaurateur Mario Batali and a business partner have agreed to pay $5.25 million to Read the rest of this entry »
Warm Southern Breeze 