Mario Batali, who was accused of sexual harassment last year, will see three of his Las Vegas restaurant close down this summer, the Associated Press reports.
Carnevino Italian Steakhouse, B&B Ristorante, and Otto Enoteca e Pizzeria at The Venetian and Palazzo hotels are all set to shut down on July 27, 2018, according to a letter from Batali & Bastianich Hospitality Group partner Joe Bastianich to around 300 employees. "These restaurants have continued to succeed, and they are a tribute to every one of you who works in them and brings great dining experiences to our guests," the letter reads. "Unfortunately, our partner in these restaurants, Las Vegas Sands Corp., has decided to end our relationship." The letter also states that employees will receive assistance with transitioning into new roles.
On Monday, the NYPD confirmed they would be investigating two rape cases stemming from incidents that took place in 2004 and 2005, one of which was revealed in a 60 Minutes interview the night before. The unnamed woman claims Batali drugged and assaulted her, a claim the chef denies. Shortly after the allegation started to come to light in December, Batali gave up daily operations at his restaurant locations and was fired from The Chew, where he had served as a co-host.
He would go on to apologize multiple times for his actions for his past behavior. "My behavior was wrong and there are no excuses. I take full responsibility," he said in an online newsletter email that also included a recipe for cinnamon rolls.
In late 2017, four women came forward and accused Batali of touching them inappropriately in various incidents that took place over a 20-year period.
