US celebrity chefs Mario Batali and Joseph Bastianich agreed to pay $600,000 in a settlement to 20 former employees over sexual harassment allegations, the New York Attorney General said Friday. The accusations were not the first against the once-prestigious Batali, known for his red ponytail and orange Croc shoes. Batali had partnered with fellow popular chef Bastianich in several restaurants and they teamed up in the Batali and Bastianich Hospitality Group (B&B), which was dissolved in 2019. The agreement announced Friday implicated several of Batali and Bastianich's New York restaurants: Babbo, Lupa and Del Posto, which is now closed. New York Attorney General Letitia James said in the statement that at their restaurants, "Batali and Bastianich permitted an intolerable work environment and allowed shameful behavior that is inappropriate in any setting."

Source: Mint July 24, 2021 01:30 UTC