Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. "It all happened so fast," Tene testified in the non-jury trial. A judge will decide the chef's fate at the conclusion of the trial. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the worlds largest multimedia news provider, reaching billions of people worldwide every day. In Carters case, though, the strategy didnt pan out and she was convicted and sentenced to more than a year in jail. Within weeks, he returned to the line and acted as if nothing had ever happened between them. Batali's lawyer, Antony Fuller, argued to discredit the woman, saying she had financial motives to accuse Batali as she was currently seeking $50,000 in damages from the chef in a separate Boston-based civil lawsuit. Later texts between friends that made jokes about Mr. Batali or possible payment for the images were just that, prosecutors said jokes. She said the woman tried to de-escalate the unwanted touching by simply smiling it off in the photos. Mr. Batalis lawyers pulled the images and texts from Ms. Tenes phone, which a judge ordered her to turn over as part of a lawsuit she filed against Mr. Batali in 2018, seeking damages for the infliction of emotional distress. This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. She never consented to it, she said. The settlement follows a four I have made many mistakes, he said in an email newsletter at the time. Mr. Batali, who lost his job on the ABC talk and cooking show The Chew, still faces at least two civil suits and a potential criminal trial. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER, Batali has been accused of groping a Massachusets woman while she was attempting to take a selfie with him at a Boston-area bar in 2017. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. "Shes not being truthful," Fuller said. She was consoled by Melissa Rodriguez, the executive chef, and the man wasnt at work for some time. He can be reached at nate.raymond@thomsonreuters.com. Then in 2018 and 2019, Batali faced both civil and criminal assault charges from multiple women, all claiming that the chef inappropriately touched and sexually harassed them. Mr. Batali saw her surreptitiously shoot a photo of him from a few seats away at the bar, then invited her to take some pictures with him, she said. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. But the judge also rebuked Batali while suggesting the former star of shows like Molto Mario and Iron Chef America has already paid a high cost in terms of his diminished reputation and financial losses. Steven Senne/AP My behavior was wrong and there are no excuses. Prosecutors have said that Batali drunkenly assaulted Tene shortly after midnight on April 1, 2017, while posing with her for selfies at a bar near Boston's Eataly, the Italian market and restaurant he at the time part owned. "I thank the men and women who reported this abhorrent behavior for their bravery, selflessness, and commitment to accountability.". Mr. Batali did not testify, and his defense team called no witnesses; on Monday, he waived his right to a jury trial. His accuser, who also exited the courtroom without speaking with reporters, had testified how she felt confused and powerless to do anything to stop Batali at the time. Mario Batali, the celebrity chef who once sat atop a multimillion-dollar food enterprise and hosted a daytime TV talk show, was found not guilty of indecent assault In particular, I believe we were the first restaurant group in New York City that put in place a 24-hour employee hotline operated by a third party, she said. All rights reserved. Both mens signatures appeared on the settlement agreement, dated Thursday. Elisha Fieldstadt is a breaking news reporter for NBC News. Four women accused him of inappropriate touching in 2017, after which he stepped down from day-to-day operations at his restaurant empire and left the since-discontinued ABC cooking show "The Chew.". According to the 32-year-old software company worker, she was trying to take a selfie with the chef when the incident happened. Market data provided by Factset. "I have made many mistakes and I am so very sorry that I have disappointed my friends, my family, my fans and my team," Batali said in an email newsletter. If convicted, Batali faces up to 2-1/2 years in jail and having to register as a sex offender. Mr. Batali, once the host of the ABC cooking-themed show The Chew, is one of several prominent chefs and restaurateurs hit by accusations of sexual assault and harassment that began tumbling out in the fall of 2017 as part of the #MeToo movement in cities like New York, San Francisco and New Orleans. "This is being fabricated for money and for fun.". Mr. Bastianich said in earlier statements that he wasnt fully aware of Mr. Batalis sexual aggressions but had heard him saying inappropriate things to employees. He became a household name through appearances on Food Network shows such as "Iron Chef America. "Sexual harassment is unacceptable for anyone, anywhere no matter how powerful the perpetrator.". He denied allegations of sexual assault but apologized for "deeply inappropriate" behavior. Batali and his NYC restaurant Babbo were hit with a second lawsuit for pay violations regarding the restaurant's staff. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Batali has offered an apology, acknowledging the allegations "match up" with ways he has acted. The trial began Monday with the former Food Network star waiving his right to a jury trial, leaving the decision up to the presiding judge. The money will be split among at least 20 former employees of B&B Hospitality and their Manhattan restaurants Babbo, Lupa and the now-closed Del Posto, all of which Batali co-owned with Joseph Bastianich until March 2019, Attorney General Letitia James announced Friday. A judge has handed down a not guilty verdict for Mario Batali. Mario Batali was found not guilty of indecent assault and battery on Tuesday, following a swift trial in which the celebrity chef waived his right to have a jury Ive never been touched before like that, she testified, like squeezing in between my legs, squeezing my vagina to pull me closer to him, as if thats a normal way to grab someone., Judge Stanton said, Its an understatement to say that Mr. Batali did not cover himself in glory on the night in question. But he added that Ms. Tene has significant credibility issues.. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. No trial date has been set. Mario Batali appeared this morning in a Boston municipal court, where he pled not guilty to a charge of indecent assault and battery. In a statement at the time, Batali formerly best known for his orange Crocs, ponytail and vespa apologized and said the accusations described by the women "match up" with the way he had acted. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, Pool), Batalis food empire included such high-end eateries as Babbo in Del Posto in New York City as well as restaurants in Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Singapore. BOSTON (AP) Celebrity chef Mario Batalis trial on sexual misconduct charge in Boston has been set for April. "She's not being truthful," Fuller said. Judge James Stanton delivered the ruling in Boston Municipal Court after a two-day bench trial that centered on testimony from Natali Tene, 32, who said Mr. Batali forcibly kissed and grabbed her during a late-night selfie session at a Boston bar in April 2017. Tene said she took a "flippant" tone in her texts but said she was not playing up the story: "At first, I wasnt even sure how to put it, so I put it lightly.". Mario Batali the once-venerated Food Network chef who was accused of multiple instances of sexual misconduct and sexual assault between 2016-2019 and Batali and Bastianich permitted an intolerable work environment and allowed shameful behavior that is inappropriate in any setting, Ms. James said. In 2019, he entered a plea of not guilty to charges of indecent assault and battery of a Foul play was not suspected. Access unmatched financial data, news and content in a highly-customised workflow experience on desktop, web and mobile. Legal Statement. Carolyn D. Richmond, an employment lawyer for Mr. Bastianich and the restaurant group, said many of the improvements in training and personnel management mandated by the attorney general had already been made. Batali and his business partner in July agreed to pay $600,000 to at least 20 former employees to resolve claims by New York's attorney general that their Manhattan restaurants were rife with sexual harassment. At its peak, Batali & Bastianich encompassed dozens of restaurants and food businesses in the United States, Italy, Singapore and Hong Kong. The woman testified the first day in court, recounting her initial shock. Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically. or redistributed. Natali Tene, 32, recounted from the witness stand being "shocked" and "alarmed" by the encounter with the famed chef as Batali, 61, went on trial in Boston Municipal Court on a 2019 charge of indecent assault and battery. In an interview with Nations Restaurant News, Gollan said that Batali discovered their business early on, and demanded to meet the baker because he had just had the best bread he had ever tasted. Gollan called Batali a friend, fan and silent business partner who can provide advice, if needed. He said the accuser has a financial incentive to lie as she's seeking more than $50,000 in damages from Batali in a separate civil lawsuit pending in Suffolk County Superior Court in Boston. Details of the groping and kisses from Mr. Batali came up in subsequent conversations, Ms. Buckley testified. The prosecutor, Nina Bonelli, argued that all Natali Tene wanted was a good picture before Mr. Batali groped her. She was also accused in that case of violating the judge's orders to keep an open mind and not discuss the case with others. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, The settlement follows a four-year investigation by the attorney general's office that "found that B&B, Batali, and Bastianich had engaged in unlawful sex discrimination and retaliation, in violation of state and city human rights laws" at their restaurants Babbo, Lupa and the now-closed Del Posto, according to the agreement filed with the court. Legal Statement. The past few years have truly been a transformative period, Bastianich said in a statement to The New York Times. The woman also testified that she felt embarrassed by the 2017 incident until she saw other women step forward to share similar encounters with Batali. Representatives for Batali, Bastianich and B&B did not immediately respond to requests for comment Friday. Celebrity chef Mario Batali listens on the first day of his trial, Monday, May 9, 2022, in Boston Municipal Court. All Rights Reserved. It can be incredibly difficult for a victim to disclose a sexual assault, he said in a statement. Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. IE 11 is not supported. "This is being fabricated for money and for fun.". "Just a lot of touching.". Her claims form the basis of the only criminal case to result from multiple #MeToo-era claims of sexual harassment and assault that helped fuel Batali's downfall. Catherine McGloin contributed reporting from Boston. After four women accused him of inappropriate touching in 2017, Batali stepped down from day-to-day operations at his restaurant empire and left the since-discontinued ABC cooking show The Chew., He also apologized, saying the allegations match up with ways he has acted. The 61-year-old former Food Network personality quickly strode out of the courtroom with his lawyers without commenting on the case, which centered on allegations that he aggressively kissed and groped a Boston woman while taking a selfie at a bar in 2017. She wasnt sure if he was suspended or simply not scheduled to work when she was working. particularly roiled the food and beverage industry. Though I criticized him for it from time to time, I should have done more, he said. The trial began in Boston on Monday after Batali waived his right to a jury trial. Batalis lawyer Anthony Fuller argued the assault never happened and that the accuser isnt a credible witness and has a financial incentive to lie. In delivering the verdict, Boston Municipal Court Judge James Stanton agreed with Batalis lawyers that the accuser had credibility issues and that photos suggested the encounter was amicable. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. In addition to the payments, the settlement requires an overhaul of sexual harassment training and procedures at Mr. Bastianichs restaurants and any that he or Mr. Batali might have majority ownership in during the next three years. His lawyers didnt respond to an email seeking comment Tuesday but have previously said the charge filed in 2019 is without merit.. Anthony Fuller, an attorney speaking on Batali's behalf, said at the time that the chef denies the allegations in both the criminal and civil complaints brought by the woman in Boston. "The defense in this case is very simple: This didn't happen," Fuller said in his opening statement earlier in the day. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. I take full responsibility.". This wasnt some isolated incident, Ms. Bonelli said. "Essentially the whole time there was touching of my sensitive feminine areas.". He also suggested she joked about her encounter in text messages with friends and ate at Eataly, the Italian marketplace Bataly once owned, after the encounter. Batali, 61, pleaded not guilty in 2019 to a charge of indecent assault and battery in connection to the case. Batali, whose high-flying career crumbled amid myriad sexual harassment and misconduct allegations, was accused in the New York investigation of pulling a waitress' hand toward his crotch as she served him and showing a waiter an unwelcome pornographic video. It is not a rite of passage, and it didnt happen because you were too friendly, she said. Prosecutors contended that the images from the bar did not show the entirety of the interaction or where Mr. Batalis hands were below the frame. hide caption. Check out what clicked this week in entertainment. The general manager and the executive chef at the time made women feel as if they were asking for it and treated the incidents as rites of passage, she told investigators.
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