Celebrity Chef Mario Batali will not be charged for two alleged sexual assaults that occurred in New York City, TMZ reported Tuesday.
The outlet reported that law enforcement sources told them the New York Police Department closed both cases against Batali after failing to locate witnesses or physical evidence in the cases.
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As previously reported, a Texas woman came forward to police in March 2018 claiming she had been assaulted by The Chew alum in January 2004, telling police she was drinking at the bar at Babbo, Batali’s West Village restaurant, and when she went upstairs to use the bathroom around 2 a.m., she was sexually assaulted by Batali.
Following news of the case breaking, an employee of another of Batali’s restaurants, Spotted Pig, told Anderson Cooper on a 60 Minutes segment that Batali allegedly drugged and sexually assaulted her in 2005. Following the attack, she told Cooper she went to the hospital for a rape kid but didn’t file a police report.
Batali released a cryptic apology following the reports surfacing, writing in an email shared to Twitter, “As many of you know, this week there has been some news coverage about some of my past behavior. I have made many mistakes and I am so very sorry that I have disappointed my friends, my family, my fans and my team.”
“I will work every day to regain your respect and trust,” he continued, oddly enough, adding a post-script attached to a recipe reading, “In case you’re searching for a holiday-inspired breakfast, these Pizza Dough Cinnamon Rolls are a fan favorite.”
The Chew fired Batali from his role on the ABC talk show, and soon after the network announced the show would be ending after seven seasons to allow for a third hour of Good Morning America.
“While this is the right decision for our business, it is also bittersweet,” said Ben Sherwood, the president of the Disney ABC Television Group, in a statement at the time.
“For seven years The Chew has delighted audiences by delivering innovative food segments in an entertaining atmosphere. We applaud and thank Gordon Elliott, Aimee Householder, Michael Symon, Carla Hall, Clinton Kelly and the entire cast and crew for their great work and amazing run. And we wish them the very best,” the statement continued.
Show creator George Elliott added to the statement, “Before The Chew, no one had attempted a talk/food hybrid. Our hosts Clinton, Carla and Michael and the staff created television history executing the show as well as they did for all these years. I know I speak for all of the people who work on the show when I say it was the best television we have ever had the privilege to produce.”
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