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