Mario Batali rants he’s had enough of New York City during comeback livestream from his home in Michigan where he fled after string of sex assault claims ended his TV career

• The former TV chef made his return to the small screen with an online cooking webinar over the weekend where he revealed he won’t be going back to NYC
• Batali, 67, has always denied the numerous allegations that have been leveled at him since the #MeToo movement began in 2017 

Former TV chef Mario Batali returned to the small screen over the weekend, hosting a cooking webinar titled Molto a Casa from his new home in rural Michigan. 

Batali, 67, has been largely absent from the mainstream media since he was first accused of sexual misconduct in 2017, something he has strenuously denied and never been prosecuted for.

The Seattle-native used some of his time on screen to rail against his former home, the Big Apple. The entire session costs subscribers $50. 

One viewer asked if Batali would ever do live cooking demonstrations in Eataly, the gourmet Italian market that he once held a stake in, he responded: ‘Me and New York, we have parted ways. Done.’

‘It was a great town, it worked for me for the longest time but now I live in Northern Michigan, in a tiny little town of 600 people, with a community of magnificent, like-minded creatives,’ he continued. 

‘There’s a lot of great people. I love most of them. But there’s enough a******s in New York City that I’m done with that town. And I wish everyone the best there,’ Batali went on. 

Former TV chef Mario Batali pictured during his online cooking class, Molto e Casa, during which he disclosed that he won’t be returning to New York City anytime soon

Batali is arraigned in 2019 on a charge of indecent assault and battery in Boston Municipal Court in connection with an incident at a Boston restaurant, he was acquitted in 2022

The chef did not appear to hold any ill-will to the folks at Eataly, which has two locations in Manhattan, even recommending that one viewer go there to source good pork jowl. 

Another tip that Batali offered was tell his viewers to try to make friends with butchers, fishmongers and anyone selling fresh produce.

‘Above all, smile. Smile at people. Smile at everyone and be friendly.’  

Batali went on to disclose that his son, Leo, now lives in his former townhouse in the city where his renowned wine cellar is located.

However, Batali told his fans that he’s now sober. 

He also said that he’s planning further online cooking classes. ‘Provided that everyone thinks this is a pretty good idea, we’re going to continue doing this for a long time.’

Batali compared the online class to a reincarnation of his hugely popular Food Network show, Molto Mario, which aired between 1996 and 2010. 

None of the gathered viewers asked Batali about the various legal issues that he has faced in the last few years. 

In August 2022, Batali has agreed to settle two Massachusetts lawsuits that accused the celebrity chef of sexual assault.

That came three months after Batali cleared of a criminal charge stemming from accusations by one of the women, who prosecutors alleged aggressively kissed and groped her while taking a selfie at a downtown Boston bar in 2017.

The women alleged that Batali had sexually assaulted them on separate occasions. The accusations by one of the women led to the only criminal case against the the prominent chef and restauranteur at the height of the #MeToo movement.

Batali samples coffee at Eataly in  2010, this weekend he said he wouldn’t be doing any more cooking demonstrations at the Italian gourmet store

One woman testified in May 2022 about how she felt confused and powerless to do anything to stop Batali at the time.

But Batali was acquitted of indecent assault and battery after a Boston judge agreed with Batali’s lawyers that the accuser had credibility issues and that photos suggested the encounter was amicable.

Batali’s lawyers portrayed the accuser as a liar who was financially motivated because of her civil lawsuit brought against the chef in 2018.

If convicted, Batali could have faced up to 30 months in prison and be required to register as a sex offender.

The other woman — who sued Batali in 2019 — similarly alleged that Batali had groped and kissed her at a restaurant in Boston’s Chinatown neighborhood in 2016.

Batali stepped down from day-to-day operations at his restaurant empire and left the since-discontinued ABC cooking show “The Chew” after the sexual misconduct allegations surfaced.

Last year, Batali, his business partner and their restaurant company agreed to pay $600,000 to resolve a four-year investigation by the New York attorney general’s office into allegations that Batali and other staff sexually harassed employees.

This payment was made without any admission of guilt.  

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