#METOO

Mario Batali Sued by Woman He Allegedly Groped

She said he assaulted her when she tried to take a selfie with him.

A woman who claimed Mario Batali groped her is now suing him. Natali Tene said she tried to take a picture of the celebrity chef in at Towne Stove and Spirits in April 2017, and while preparing for the shot, he assaulted her, the lawsuit said. “Batali grabbed and kissed Ms. Tene’s face, rubbed her breasts, grabbed her buttocks, put his hands between her legs and groped her groin area, and kept forcefully squeezing her face into his as he kissed her repeatedly,” according to the suit. “Batali’s actions were without warning or permission, were unwanted and disgusting, and made Ms. Tene feel shocked and highly uncomfortable.” Tene is one of several women to allege sexual misconduct by Batali. One former employee told 60 Minutes that Batali drugged and possibly raped her. He was fired from his ABC talk show The Chew after four women accused him of “inappropriate touching [them] over a period of 20 years.”