Mario Batali Sued By Woman Alleging He Sexually Assaulted Her In Boston

Months after facing multiple allegations of sexual misconduct, celebrity chef Mario Batali is being sued by a woman who says he kissed and groped her in April 2017.

The Boston Globe reports that 28-year-old Natali Tene filed the suit this week over an alleged incident last year at Boston restaurant Towne Stove and Spirits.

The lawsuit says Tene saw Batali at the restaurant and, after taking a photo of him with her phone, he noticed and offered to take a selfie with her. According to the complaint, once she was nearby, Batali kissed her repeatedly and groped her breasts, buttocks, and groin area.

“Without asking her permission or giving her any warning, and without having received any indication that she had any sexual interest in him whatsoever, which she did not, Batali sexually assaulted her,” Tene’s complaint alleges. “Batali’s actions were without warning or permission, were unwanted and disgusting, and made Ms. Tene feel shocked and highly uncomfortable.”

According to the suit, Tene did not know Batali personally but was familiar with his career.

This is the latest in a string of allegations against Batali that have come to light within the last year. In December, allegations broke when four women — three of whom had worked for Batali — said he sexually harassed them. Shortly after, Batali stepped down from running his restaurant empire, was fired from his hosting gig on ABC’s The Chew, and issued an apology, complete with a wholly uncalled for (and rather tone-deaf) holiday cinnamon roll recipe.

In May, 60 Minutes ran a report where several women said that sexual harassment and assault were commonplace at his restaurants. According to The New York Times, the New York attorney general has recently launched an investigation following allegations of harassment and workplace discrimination at his New York City restaurant The Spotted Pig. The New York Police Department also has an ongoing investigation into The Spotted Pig and Batali’s Greenwich Village restaurant, Babbo.

The food industry, from the late Anthony Bourdain to Batali’s fellow reality TV personalities, swiftly responded by condemning Batali’s actions when the news broke last year. But he’s just one of a number of prominent personalities who have been accused of sexual misconduct in the restaurant industry, which is reportedly the industry with the single highest number of reported sexual harassment cases over the last two decades.

Refinery29 has reached out to Batali’s representatives for comment.