Giada De Laurentiis Speaks Out on Mario Batali's Misconduct Allegations
Celebrity chef Mario Batali, once a culinary giant, admitted to a pattern of inappropriate behavior after four women accused him of sexual misconduct in a December article published by Eater. Now, four months later, fellow chef Giada De Laurentiis is breaking her silence about her relationship with the man who helped her open her first restaurant in Las Vegas. Giada shared her thoughts during an interview on the Eater Upsell podcast on April 18, 2023.
Giada’s reaction to the allegations was both thoughtful and reflective. “I did not have those exact experiences with him, but it doesn’t come as a huge shock,” she said. “Anybody who’s ever hung out with Mario knows he’s a very charismatic person. He’s larger than life, and sometimes that charisma can overshadow boundaries. I’m not saying what he did was okay—I’m not legitimizing it by any means—but I know I’ve been through my own issues in this business. Honestly, I think any woman in any industry goes through stuff. It’s just sad, you know? It’s time for change, but it’s also sad. It’s a mix of emotions, and I think we all feel both.”
Women Need to Unite and Demand Change
Giada emphasized the importance of women supporting each other and creating a culture of respect. “We need to stick up for ourselves, and I think we need to change our culture,” she explained. “The next generation needs to learn to respect human beings, no matter what they look like or who they are, male or female. It’s about respect. If someone says they don’t want to do something, that’s it—they don’t want to do it. We just need to be kinder to one another.”
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The Accusations Against Mario Batali
The allegations against Mario spanned at least two decades, with three of the accusers having worked for the The Chew co-host in the past. One woman recounted an incident from about 10 years ago when she spilled wine on her shirt. The 57-year-old chef allegedly groped her, saying, “Let me help you with that.”
“He just went to town, and I was so shocked,” she recalled. “I couldn’t believe what was happening. My jaw was on the ground, and I stepped back from him in utter disgust before walking away. The others also shared similar stories involving Mario grabbing them from behind or pressing into them.”
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Mario Batali's Response
The women who came forward said they stayed silent out of fear. “He has clear intent on being threatening when he is wronged,” one of the victims, who reportedly worked for the chef in the 1990s, explained. “And the level of vindictiveness is very chilling. So, it never occurred to me to share tales out of school.”
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After the allegations surfaced, Mario announced he would be taking a leave of absence from his restaurant empire and The Chew. “I apologize to the people I have mistreated and hurt,” he said in a statement to Eater. “Although the identities of most of the individuals mentioned in these stories have not been revealed to me, much of the behavior described does, in fact, match up with ways I have acted. That behavior was wrong, and there are no excuses. I take full responsibility and am deeply sorry for any pain, humiliation, or discomfort I have caused to my peers, employees, customers, friends, and family.”
He continued, “I know my actions have disappointed many people. The successes I have enjoyed are owned by everyone on my team. The failures are mine alone. To the people who have been at my side during this time—my family, my partners, my employees, my friends, my fans—I am grateful for your support and hopeful that I can regain your respect and trust. I will spend the next period of time trying to do that.”
Days later, in a statement to People magazine, ABC announced, “We have asked Mario Batali to step away from The Chew while we review the allegations that have just recently come to our attention. ABC takes matters like this very seriously as we are committed to a safe work environment. While we are unaware of any type of inappropriate behavior involving him and anyone affiliated with the show, we will swiftly address any alleged violations of our standards of conduct.”
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