Overview

• De Laurentiis said on Samah Dada’s YouTube show that Batali’s original foreword claimed her culinary achievements stemmed from having “big boobs,” which left her in tears.
• She immediately contacted her editor, refused to publish the text and oversaw a rewrite that focused on her cooking expertise rather than her looks.
• The printed version praised her as a skilled, authentic Italian cook and discarded Batali’s demeaning commentary about her body.
• Batali was removed from The Chew in 2017 after multiple #MeToo allegations, later acquitted in a 2022 Boston trial and reached settlements in related civil suits.
• De Laurentiis’s revelation has reignited conversation about sexism in culinary media and the influence of editors on women’s public images.