Mario Batali's Restaurant Business To Change Name: Report

WEST VILLAGE, NY — Mario Batali's restaurant empire plans to change its name after multiple women accused the superstar chef of groping them, according to a new report in Eater.

Eater reported on Wednesday that the company behind Batali's restaurants, Batali & Bastianich Hospitality Group, would change its name in the wake of accusations against Batali and other employees within the hospitality group.

Eater published a December letter that the company sent to its employees which said the group would be "creating a new company whose structure and name will better reflect that our restaurants’ success is built on the contributions of many, not just one or two," according to a copy of the letter published by Eater.

"Though we cannot yet address specific initiatives, we are in the process of making strategic changes in an effort to improve the culture of our organization," a spokesman for the company said in an email.

Batali and his business partner Joe Bastianich built a formidable restaurant group, which included Manhattan staples like Babbo.

In December, Eater published multiple investigations detailing years of accusations against Batali.

The women told Eater that Batali had groped or inappropriately touched them over the last 20 years. Other people said they had heard similar rumors of the chef's aggressive and inappropriate behavior with women.

In a separate investigation by the New York Times, employees at the popular Village restaurant The Spotted Pig said they called Batali the "red menace" because of his inappropriate behavior at the restaurant's private top floor.

Jamie Seet, an employee at The Spotted Pig, that at one such party she saw Batali groping and kissing a woman who appeared to be unconscious. Another server told the Times that Batali was nicknamed the "Red Menace" around the restaurant.

"Though I don't remember these specific accounts, there is no question I have behaved terribly," Batali told the Times. "There are no excuses. I take full responsibility and am deeply sorry for any pain, humiliation or discomfort I have caused."

Batali has stepped down from day-to-day operations at the company.

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