Mario Batali, the former host of “The Chew” who stands accused of sexual misconduct, issued an apology to fans on Friday through his newsletter and inexplicably ended it with a recipe for cinnamon rolls.
So far, eight women have come forward to say Batali groped them, made sexually explicit comments or other unwanted sexual advances. One particularly disturbing anecdote in The New York Times described Batali “groping and kissing a woman who appeared to be unconscious” in a New York restaurant’s so-called “rape room.”
“I have made many mistakes and I am so very sorry that I have disappointed my friends, my family, my fans and my team. My behavior was wrong and there are no excuses. I take full responsibility,” Batali wrote in the letter, his most recent in a series of apologetic statements.
“Sharing the joys of Italian food, tradition and hospitality with all of you, each week, is an honor and privilege. Without the support of all of you ― my fans ― I would never have a forum in which to expound on this,” he continued. “I will work every day to regain your respect and trust.”
And then, the tone-deaf kicker: “ps. in case you’re searching for a holiday-inspired breakfast, these Pizza Dough Cinnamon Rolls are a fan favorite.”
The incredible speed at which Batali switched from self-reflection to food sparked criticisms from observers on social media.
MARIO BATALI: How do we address the sexual harassment? PR TEAM: With a heartfelt apology. MB: A cinnamon roll recipe should do the trick. PR: That's a horrible idea. MB: Yeah, let's go with that. PR: You need to apologize. MB: OK. Quick apology and then rolls. PR: We're doomed. pic.twitter.com/dy7aIHUyDV
Previous statements issued by the celebrity chef were absent of breakfast rolls.
“I apologize to the people I have mistreated and hurt,” Batali said in a statement provided to Eater, which first reported on his misconduct with stories from four women earlier this week. Batali said the incidents described “match up” with his past behavior.
Actress Siobhan Thompson then said the chef once groped her breasts while she worked as a hostess at one of his restaurants. Three other women came forward with more accusations in a story published by the Washington Post; one of the women said Batali once grabbed her crotch at a party.
In a statement provided to the Post, Batali said he “was the personification of idiocy, a drunken and idiotic fool” the day of the party “with no respect for the staff at Osteria Mozza, the guests nor for the restaurant itself.”
“I wish I could have the day back and do it right,” he added, taking “full responsibility” and expressing remorse for his “deplorable actions” and any “pain, humiliation or anguish” they caused.
Batali was subsequently fired from ABC’s “The Chew,” the cooking show he hosted alongside chef Michael Symon, “Top Chef” contestant Carla Hall and TV personality Clinton Kelly.
Prior to ABC’s decision, Batali had stepped away from the program and taken a leave of absence from his management company Batali & Bastianich Hospitality Group, which supports over 20 restaurants.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story indicated Daphne Oz, a former host of “The Chew,” was one of the current hosts.
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Jess
“I was walking home from work one day and I was on the phone, just about to cross the road. A guy stopped his car in the middle of the road and asked me to get in his car. I said no and tried to walk around it, so he drove his car to block my way. I tried to walk behind it but he did the same thing. He then shouted, 'Get in my car or I’ll run you over!' I then slammed my fists on the car bonnet and shouted at him, which I think shook him so it gave me some time to cross the road and run away.”
Florence
"Two summers ago I was walking to a supermarket in Marseille. A guy was getting out of his car and said to me, 'La pute c'est magnifique [Whores are beautiful],' as I walked past."
Monica
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Gina
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Maya
"After leaving a nightclub with my friends and my girlfriend, we decided to get a bus to another venue. As we were waiting for the bus, a man approached me and started trying to chat me up. I said straightaway that I'm a lesbian, and that I was with my girlfriend. He then took that as some sort of challenge, and proceeded to tell me I just needed his dick and tried to expose himself to me. Fortunately, my male friend stepped in and eventually he managed to make him leave. The whole incident lasted about 20 minutes in total and was quite traumatic."
Gabriella
“When I was 15, I was walking home from school like I always did, in my school uniform. This time, however, a man kept kissing at me from his van. I decided to ignore him since it repulsed me, but he persisted to do it and call out remarks. After walking further up the road I turned around to notice that he had stopped, parked the van, opened the doors and was coming directly at me. Luckily I was around the corner from my house, so I ran down the hill to get home and didn’t look back.”
Danielle
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Jess
“When I was about 12 or 13 me and my friends used to get the bus to school and a man who must have been about 40 tried to take photos on his phone up our skirts -- the police ended up getting called but said they couldn't do anything about it in the end.”
Dorina
"I was walking down a street in Manhattan when I saw a man walking toward me. His daughter was holding his hand and his young son was behind him on a scooter. As the distance between us got shorter I could tell that he was intensely staring at me, studying my legs, my sundress, my cleavage. Just as our paths crossed he lunged toward me and whispered, 'Mmmm, I’d like to taste your chocolate.' I was most horrified that his daughter was right there, watching her father verbally assault me, while his son was behind learning from his actions."
Juliette
"I was 19, and I had just moved to Paris. I was in a crowded train and there was a guy pressed up against my back, then he started to move against me. I first thought he was trying to get off the train, but then he started to whisper in my ear. I turned around to face him, trying to look angry, but then he put his hands on my hips and started grinding on me. So I stepped on his toes hard, and then stormed out of the train."
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