Since the scandal began, Mr. Bastianich has insisted that he was unaware of Mr. Batali’s sexual aggressions against women. (Before the #MeToo movement, however, that kind of atmosphere was hardly unique to Batali & Bastianich.) Batali & Bastianich was not a holding company and had no ownership; it provided management services to all the restaurants in the group. As a result, Mr. Batali, 58, was never involved in Felidia or the Lidia’s restaurants, in Pittsburgh and Kansas City. Although Mrs. Bastianich Manuali, who will run the newly created group, has never had a public role in Batali & Bastianich, she has long managed their mother’s restaurants.

Source: New York Times March 06, 2019 16:28 UTC