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Celebrity chefsMario BataliandJoe Bastianichhave been ordered to pay $600,000 to 20 people who were sexually assaulted while working at the pair’s restaurants, according tocourt documents.
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The incidents took place at the Manhattan restaurants Babbo, Lupa and Del Posto.
“Batali and Bastianich permitted an intolerable work environment and allowed shameful behavior that is inappropriate in any setting,” James toldThe New York Times. “Celebrity and fame does not absolve someone from following the law.”
In addition to the payouts, the agreement states that their restaurants must revise their training materials involving anti-sexual harassment and discrimination and submit biannual reports to James' office to certify compliance.
“The past few years have truly been a transformative period,” Bastianich said in a statement toThe New York Times. “Including the pandemic, there have been a lot of lessons learned over the past three and a half years, and it has given us an opportunity to redefine our business and the culture we want to foster within our restaurants, emerging as the company we want to be.”
Batali, aformerChewco-host, was first accused of sexual harassment and assault in December 2017.Eaterreported the famed chef allegedly groped four different women and engaged in inappropriate touching spanning two decades, andanother accuser subsequently claimedon60 Minutesthat he drugged and assaulted her while she was unconscious in 2005.
Batali previously admitted that he had been"deeply inappropriate"in the past and apologized, but denied allegations against him.
Batali told theTimesthat he would not comment on the settlement.
source: people.com
