Celebrity chef was abruptly removed from his role as co-host of 'The Chew' on Monday amid sexual harassment allegations that span over a period of at least 20 years. An ABC spokesperson said the company has asked Batali to step away from the show while the allegations are investigated. The website reports four women have accused Batali of inappropriate behavior while working for him or encountering him. The women describe numerous incidents of Batali grabbing their behinds, pressing is body up against them or groping their chests. 'We have asked Mario Batali to step away from 'The Chew' while we review the allegations that have just recently come to our attention,' the ABC spokesperson said in a statement. 'ABC takes matters like this very seriously as we are committed to a safe work environment. While we are unaware of any type of inappropriate behavior involving him and anyone affiliated with the show, we will swiftly address any alleged violations of our standards of conduct.'

A spokesperson for Batali & Bastianich Hospitality Group says an employee reported inappropriate behavior by Batali in October. The company told Eater it was the first formal complaint against Batali and that he was reprimanded and required to attend training. The restaurateur released a statement in response to the allegations, which reads in part: 'I apologize to the people I have mistreated and hurt. Although the identities of most of the individuals mentioned in these stories have not been revealed to me, much of the behavior described does, in fact, match up with ways I have acted.' 'The behavior was wrong and there are no excuses,' Batali continued. 'I take full responsibility and am deeply sorry for any pain, humiliation or discomfort I have caused.'

'I apologize to the people I have mistreated and hurt,' Batali said. 'That behavior was wrong and there are no excuses. Driver Epson Lq 570+ Xp on this page.

Mario Batali hosts Molto Mario and appears as an Iron Chef on Iron Chef America. Get his recipes and find out more about the Italian chef on Food Network. News about Mario Batali. Commentary and archival information about Mario Batali from The New York Times.

I take full responsibility and am deeply sorry for any pain, humiliation or discomfort I have caused to my peers, employees, customers, friends and family.' That statement was first made public early Monday, the restaurant news website. Eater's report included four accounts of women who claimed that Batali 'touched them inappropriately in a pattern of behavior that appears to span at least two decades.' Ewa Net Keygen 2013 Toyota.

The women, some of whom worked for Batali, claimed he had groped them, according to Eater. The story did not name them.

Batali did not refer to the Eater investigation in his statement. But he said, 'although the identities of most of the individuals mentioned in these stories have not been revealed to me, much of the behavior described does, in fact, match up with ways I have acted.'

'We built these restaurants so that our guests could have fun and indulge, but I took that too far in my own behavior,' he said. 'I won't make that mistake again.'

The Batali and Bastianich Hospitality Group, a collection of restaurants, confirmed to CNNMoney that Batali has stepped away from company operations. He remains an owner of the group, which he founded with restaurateur Joe Bastianich. A spokesperson said that Batali and the owners are reviewing that role. 'We take these allegations very seriously,' B&B said in a statement, which was first provided to Eater.

'We pride ourselves on being a workplace for our employees where they can grow and deliver great service with equal opportunity and free from any discrimination. The group added: 'We have strong policies and practices in place that address sexual harassment. We train employees in these policies and we enforce them, up to and including termination.' The B&B spokesperson said the company also investigated a complaint about Batali's behavior in October. It was the only complaint B&B has ever received about Batali, the company said. An employee at one of the group's restaurants reported 'inappropriate behavior,' according to the spokesperson, who would not disclose the name of the restaurant or details about the incident. The B&B spokesperson said Batali was counseled, reprimanded and required to undergo additional sexual harassment training.

Installer Firmware Movie Cube R100rs more. After that report, he volunteered not to go to the restaurant mentioned in the complaint. Within the past few weeks, he stepped away from his operational role entirely, said the spokesperson, who declined to say anything further about what led to that decision. The company said it was not aware of other complaints at its restaurants.

Batali has also been a host on ABC's 'The Chew' for the past several years. An ABC spokesperson told CNNMoney on Monday that he is also stepping away from that production. 'We have asked Mario Batali to step away from The Chew while we review the allegations that have just recently come to our attention,' the spokesperson said.