What Is American Chef Mario Batali’s Net Worth?
American chef Mario Batali has been acquitted in a sexual misconduct case. Here's a look at his net worth and court acquittal in detail.
May 11 2022, Published 1:32 p.m. ET
American chef Mario Batali, 61, was found not guilty of sexual misconduct against 32-year-old Natali Tene. Batali has been in the spotlight since launching his Food Network show in 1996. His net worth has soared into the millions during his decades as a celebrity chef.
How much is Batali worth in 2022 and did the court proceedings, a product of the #MeToo movement, shrink that total?
Mario Batali got acquitted of indecent assault and battery.
On May 10, Batali wrapped up a criminal proceeding in a Boston Municipal Court that found him not guilty of indecent assault and battery against Tene. The case was born from claims that Batali aggressively and nonconsensually touched Tene while the pair took a selfie together at a Boston bar in 2017.
Batali waived his right to a jury for the case, leaving the decision up to Judge James Stanton. Ultimately, Judge Stanton deemed Batali not guilty on the basis of Tene’s lack of credibility and photos of the incident that appear as if the interaction was consensual.
“Pictures are worth a thousand words,” Judge Stanton stated. Still, he recognized Batali has already incurred consequences by losing money and respect in the public eye.
Mario Batali
American chef and entrepreneur
Net worth: $25 million
Mario Batali has been a celebrity chef in the U.S. for decades. Batali launched his show "Molto Mario" on the Food Network in 1996. Over the years, he expanded his reach with numerous TV programs and his company Batali & Bastianich Hospitality Group. Amid sexual harassment allegations and cases involving 10 women, most of Batali's TV shows, restaurants, and business ventures are no longer associated with him.
- Birthdate: September 19, 1960
- Birthplace: Seattle, Wash.
- Education: Rutgers University, Le Cordon Bleu
- Wife: Susi Cahn
- Children: Benno Batali, Leo Batali
Mario Batali’s history and net worth as a celebrity chef
A Seattle native, Batali is credited as being a part of the early days of celebrity chefs. He got his big break on the Food Network by starring in the TV show Molto Mario from 1996–2004. Since then, Batali has been on numerous TV programs and expanded the Batali & Bastianich Hospitality Group (B&B Hospitality Group). The group’s flagship restaurant, Babbo Ristorante e Enoteca in New York City, has a Michelin star.
A group of 117 employees of Batali’s restaurant sued the chef and B&B Hospitality Group in 2012 for allegedly skimming the tip pool. Batali settled the case.
These days, Batali is in the limelight for a different reason. The sexual misconduct allegations came to light in 2017 and at least 10 women have accused him of inappropriate behavior. Batali no longer has a stake in B&B Hospitality Group and has lost his most recent TV show as well as ownership of all of his restaurants.
While Batali’s net worth was once estimated to be around $25 million, his legal fees and lost business deals over the years have likely decimated that number. Batali’s days as a celebrity chef may be limited, regardless of his acquittal. With so many accusations against him, it would be tricky for him to get in good graces with the public (and subsequently the businesses catering to them). Perhaps Batali himself puts it best. He wrote in a letter, “My behavior was wrong and there are no excuses. I take full responsibility.”