Mario Batali just served up a recipe for disaster. The celebrity chef and restauranteur, who has stepped away from his restaurant group amid allegations of sexual misconduct, released an official apology statement via a newsletter on Friday. And it didn’t end well.
After admitting that he has “disappointed my friends, my family, my fans and my team,” Batali also took the apology as a time to plug his recipe for Pizza Dough Cinnamon Rolls, adding: “ps. in case you’re searching for a holiday-inspired breakfast, these Pizza Dough Cinnamon Rolls are a fan favorite.” (Because nothing says accountability like a fluffy, sugary treat!)
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Details surrounding Batali’s behavior first came to light in an investigative story from Eater. Four women in the restaurant industry came forward with claims that Batali touched them inappropriately, a pattern of behavior that spanned almost two decades. Batali immediately reacted to these claims, saying in a statement, “Although the identities of most of the individuals mentioned in these stories have not been revealed to me, much of the behavior described does, in fact, match up with ways I have acted. That behavior was wrong and there are no excuses.”
In a New York Times article, a former manager also alleged that Batali assaulted a woman in The Spotted Pig’s so-called “rape room,” where VIPs would allegedly engage in public sex. Earlier this week, Batali was fired from the daytime cooking show The Chew as a result.
Batali’s apology is infuriating, yes, but unsurprising. Some of the #MeToo movement’s biggest accused have a long history of deflecting an apology. For instance: Kevin Spacey responded to a sexual assault claim from Anthony Rapp by coming out, a move that was seen as mitigating blame and responsibility. It’s safe to say: Instead of cinnamon rolls, a simple “I’m sorry” from Batali would have sufficed.
Below, Twitter sounds off on the fiasco.
