Boston woman says celebrity chef Batali groped her

BOSTON – A Massachusetts woman says in a lawsuit filed against Mario Batali that the celebrity chef forcibly kissed her and groped her in a Boston restaurant in 2017.

According to media reports, the suit filed Wednesday in Superior Court in Boston seeks unspecified damages for “severe emotional distress” including anxiety and self-doubt.

The suit alleges that the 28-year-old woman spotted Batali in the restaurant in April 2017 and tried to take a photo. The suit says Batali invited her to take a selfie with him then, without asking for permission, repeatedly kissed her face, rubbed her breasts, grabbed her buttocks and put his hands between her legs.

Neither Batali nor his representatives immediately responded to emails for comment sent to his website and production company on Friday.

Several other women have previously come forward to allege sexual misconduct by Batali.