Mario Batali facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Mario Batali

Batali in 2012
Born	Mario Francesco Batali (1960-09-19) September 19, 1960 (age 64) Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Cooking style	Italian
Education	Rutgers University Le Cordon Bleu
Spouse	Susi Cahn ​ (m. 1994)​
Current restaurant(s) Italian Wine Merchant (shop)
Previous restaurant(s) The Spotted Pig (investor) Babbo (restaurant) Lupa Osteria Romana Esca Otto Enoteca Pizzeria Casa Mono Bar Jamon Del Posto Enoteca San Marco (renamed Otto) B&B Ristorant Carnevino, (last three located in Las Vegas; all others are located in New York City) Tarry Lodge Eataly
Television show(s) Molto Mario Ciao America with Mario Batali Iron Chef America Mario, Full Boil The Chew "Moltissimo" Mario Eats Italy

Mario Francesco Batali (born September 19, 1960) is an American chef, writer, and former restaurant owner. He became famous for his expertise in Italian food and for his fun personality on television.

Batali co-owned popular restaurants in cities like New York City and Las Vegas. His New York restaurant, Babbo, was so good it earned a special award called a Michelin star. He also appeared on many Food Network shows, including Molto Mario and Iron Chef America, where he competed as an "Iron Chef." In 2019, Batali stepped away from the restaurant business and sold his shares in all of his restaurants.

Early Life and Family

Mario Batali was born in Seattle, Washington, on September 19, 1960. His parents were Marilyn and Armandino Batali. His father's family was from Italy, and his mother's family had French-Canadian roots. His love for Italian food came from his family's heritage.

Batali went to Rutgers University in New Jersey. To earn money, he worked as a cook at a local restaurant. A fun fact is that his college roommate was James Gandolfini, who later became a famous actor.

In 1994, Mario married Susi Cahn. They have two sons. Susi's parents, Miles and Lillian Cahn, were the founders of the famous fashion company Coach.

Career as a Chef

Batali in 2005

Becoming a Famous Chef

Early in his career, Batali worked at several high-end hotels, like the Four Seasons Biltmore. He also worked for chef Jeremiah Tower at a famous San Francisco restaurant called Stars. This restaurant was known for helping chefs become famous, like celebrities.

Batali's big break came with his Food Network show, Molto Mario, which aired from 1996 to 2004. The show taught people how to cook Italian food and made him a star. He became one of the most recognized chefs in America.

In 1998, Batali partnered with Joe Bastianich and Lidia Bastianich to form the B&B Hospitality Group. Their most famous restaurant was Babbo in New York City. It was a huge success and received a Michelin star, a very high honor in the food world.

Television and Other Ventures

From 2011 to 2017, Batali was one of the hosts of the ABC talk show The Chew. On the show, he shared recipes and talked about food with other hosts and celebrity guests.

In 2012, Batali and his company settled a disagreement with some of their restaurant workers. The workers had concerns about how tips were shared, and the issue was resolved.

Helping Others and Speaking Out

Charity Work

Batali believes in giving back to the community. In 2008, he and his wife started the Mario Batali Foundation. The foundation raised money for children's education and to help find cures for childhood sicknesses.

He was also involved with The Lunchbox Fund, a charity that gives daily meals to schoolchildren in Soweto, South Africa. In 2017, he stepped down from his work with the charity to focus on personal matters.

Protecting the Environment

Batali has spoken out against a gas drilling method called fracking. He worried it could harm the environment and the farms that supply fresh food to his restaurants. In 2013, he co-wrote an article in a New York newspaper explaining why he believed fracking was a danger to New York's farms and food businesses.

Cooking Style

Batali believes that the best Italian food is simple. He learned this while working at a small restaurant in a village in Italy. He said that using just a few fresh, high-quality ingredients is the key to making delicious Italian dishes.

Television and Movie Appearances

Awards

• 1998 – "Best New Restaurant of 1998" from the James Beard Foundation for "Babbo Ristorante e Enoteca"
• 1999 – "Man of the Year" in GQ's chef category
• 2001 – D'Artagnan Cervena Who's Who of Food & Beverage in America
• 2002 – "Best Chef: New York City" from the James Beard Foundation
• 2004 – Three Stars from The New York Times for "Babbo Ristorante e Enoteca"
• 2005 – "All-Clad Cookware Outstanding Chef Award" from the James Beard Foundation (a national award)
• 2008 – One Michelin star, Babbo Ristorante e Enoteca, Michelin Guide
• 2008 – "Best Restaurateur" for Joe Bastianich/Mario Batali from the James Beard Foundation.
• Culinary Hall of Fame Induction.

Books by Mario Batali

• Mario Batali Simple Italian Food: Recipes from My Two Villages (1998)
• Mario Batali Holiday Food: Family Recipes for the Most Festive Time of the Year (2000)
• The Babbo Cookbook (2002)
• Molto Italiano: 327 Simple Italian Recipes to Cook at Home (2005)
• Mario Tailgates NASCAR Style (2006)
• Spain...A Culinary Road Trip (2008), written with Gwyneth Paltrow and Julia Turshen.
• Italian Grill (2008), written with Judith Sutton.
• Molto Gusto: Easy Italian Cooking (2010), written with Mark Ladner.
• Molto Batali: Simple Family Meals from My Home to Yours (2011)
• America – Farm to Table: Simple, Delicious Recipes Celebrating Local Farmers written with Jim Webster