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Industry reacts to Batali accusations

Chefs speak out on allegations as consequences mount

Leigh Anne Zinsmeister, Group Content Manager

December 13, 2017

4 Min Read
Industry reacts to Batali accusations
Bryan Bedder/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

As women come forward to accuse Mario Batali of sexual harassment and the restaurateur steps down from B&B Hospitality Group, people within the industry have begun to speak out on the allegations.

On Monday, actress Siobhan Thompson became the first person to identify herself as an alleged Batali victim, tweeting that the chef was “very handsy” when she worked at his restaurant Del Posto.

 

Anthony Bourdain was vocal on Twitter leading up to Monday’s news, and Tom Colicchio added “And no one should be surprised.”

Women in the industry also chimed in with a lack of surprise.

Meanwhile, men in the industry are calling on each other to join the conversation about sexual harassment. New York Times restaurant critic Pete Wells is among them.

Chef Matthew Jennings is opening his restaurant as a space for a discussion on sexual harassment in the industry.

Batali had long been known for supporting the careers of female chefs and restaurateurs. Earlier this year, Melissa Rodriguez was named the first female chef of Del Posto, and many of B&B Hospitality Group’s Los Angeles restaurants have women at the helm.

According to a report from NBC News, Batali has also stepped away from The Chew in light of Monday’s accusations.

There is also a petition for Target to stop selling Batali’s cookware line.

Contact Leigh Anne Zinsmeister at [email protected] 

Follow her on Twitter: @LeighAnneZin

About the Author

Leigh Anne Zinsmeister

Group Content Manager

Leigh Anne Zinsmeister is the content manager for Informa’s Restaurant and Food Group, encompassing Nation’s Restaurant News, Restaurant Hospitality, Food Management and Supermarket News.  Leigh Anne works on all of the brands’ special reports, including Nation’s Restaurant News’ annual Top 200 report, Restaurant Hospitality’s Best Cocktails and Best Sandwiches contests, Food Management’s Power Players and Supermarket News’ Top 75. She also manages the group’s digital content producers and content production manager.

Leigh Anne lives in New York City, but also claims Phoenix, Dallas and Cleveland as hometowns. Leigh Anne holds a bachelor’s degree in print journalism from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University, where she also studied European history. 

Follow Leigh Anne on Twitter @LeighAnneZin and email her at [email protected] 

Leigh Anne Zinsmeister’s experience: 

Group Content Manager, Informa Restaurant and Food Group (Feb. 2020-present)

Digital Content Manager, Informa Restaurant and Food Group (April 2018-Feb. 2020)

Digital Content Producer, Informa Restaurant and Food Group (June 2016-April 2018)

Community Moderator, Mail Online (March 2014-June 2016)

Wire Editor, Gannett’s Phoenix Design studio (The Arizona Republic, The Reno Gazette-Journal, The Statesman Journal, The Great Falls Tribune, The Visalia Times-Delta, The Tulare Advance Register, The Salinas Californian, The St. George Spectrum, The Desert Sun, The Coloradoan) (Jan. 2012-March 2014)

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