Celebrity chef Mario Batali acquitted on indecent assault and battery charges

Mario Batali
(Image credit: JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images)

Celebrity chef Mario Batali has been acquitted in his sexual misconduct case.

A judge found Batali not guilty on charges of indecent assault and battery after he was accused of groping and forcibly kissing a woman at a restaurant in 2017. The verdict came just one day after the trial began. Batali opted for a non-jury trial and left the decision in the judge's hands.

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Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.