Chef John Besh Steps Down Amid Sexual Harassment Allegations

New Orleans celebrity chef John Besh has stepped down from the restaurant group he founded and co-owns after 25 women said they were victims of sexual harassment by male co-workers and bosses, the Associated Press reports.

"John has decided to step down from all aspects of operations and to provide his full focus on his family,'' Shannon White, the woman who is stepping in as CEO, said in an e-mail to staff. Besh's departure was announced on Monday.

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The women told the New Orleans Times-Picayune that male bosses in the Besh Restaurant Group touched or verbally harassed them, and in some cases attempted to leverage their positions of power for sex. Besh also acknowledged a sexual relationship with an employee, claiming in a written statement to NOLA.com that it was consensual. The woman stated in a complaint to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that she felt pressured.

"I have been seeking to rebuild my marriage and come to terms with my reckless actions," Besh's statement said. "I also regret any harm this may have caused to my second family at the restaurant group, and sincerely apologize to anyone past and present who has worked for me who found my behavior as unacceptable as I do.

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"I alone am entirely responsible for my moral failings. This is not the way the head of a company like ours should have acted, let alone a husband and father."

The allegations were published after an eight-month investigation. The report comes amid accusations of sexual harassment against multiple powerful figures in Hollywood, including Harvey Weinstein, Bill O'Reilly and James Toback.

Photo Credit: Twitter / @chefjohnbesh