Already battered by separate exposes of his unwanted sexual advances on women, Mario Batali incensed the public again with a head-scratcher of a public apology.
The famed chef used his fan newsletter to apologize to subscribers, part of the following that has made him one of the nation’s most famous restaurant and culinary figures. As recipients noted on Twitter, the statement of regret seemed heartfelt and genuine.
“I have made many mistakes and I am so sorry that I have disappointed my friends, my family, my fans and my team. My behavior was wrong and there are no excuses,” Batali wrote. “I will work every day to regain your respect and trust.”
Then he went off the rails in the form of a postscript.
“In case you’re searching for a holiday-inspired breakfast, these Pizza Dough Cinnamon Rolls are a fan favorite,” he added. A recipe and glamour food shot followed.
The addition of the recipe set a match to gunpowder on Twitter. One poster said he initially thought the note was a put-on by The Onion, the satiric news medium. Another suggested Batali had already penned an apology for his apology: “I should've also added you can substitute apple and brown sugar for cinnamon.”
Both Eater and The New York Times aired detailed accounts last week of Batali’s alleged sexual harassment of women in the business and even apparent customers. The Times piece, which focused on accusations leveled against The Spotted Pig partner Ken Friedman, included a recollection by a Spotted Pig employee of stopping Batali from attacking a woman who’d passed out.
Following the report by Eater, Batali stepped out of day-to-day operations of his restaurant company. He was fired by the producers of his popular TV show, ABC’s "The Chew," and Eataly reportedly yanked Batali-brand retail items off its shelves.
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