Here's Where Mario Batali Now Spends His Time, and How He’s Staying Connected to Food

If you were into cooking TV in the early 2000s, you couldn’t miss Mario Batali. He was everywhere — rocking those trademark orange Crocs, tossing pasta like it was a magic trick, and opening restaurants that became instant reservations to die for. He went from wowing judges on Iron Chef America to co-hosting The Chew, and starring in his own travel-and-food series Molto Mario, all while running some of the most sought-after Italian restaurants in the country. Then, almost overnight in 2017, he disappeared from that world completely.

So … where is Mario Batali now? How does a guy who once ran a food empire fill his days after walking away from it all? Turns out, there were a few different factors that caused him to fade out of the spotlight.

After leaving behind the chaos of Manhattan kitchens, Mario settled in Traverse City, Mich. — a lakeside town better known for cherries and farmer’s markets than Michelin stars. Locals say he’s approachable and blends in more than you’d expect for someone who used to be recognized in every airport food court.

One of his more public moves? A minority investment in Common Good Bakery, as reported by Mashed. Picture warm loaves, flaky croissants, and the smell of coffee filling the air — not exactly the high-pressure vibe of a celebrity kitchen. The owners are very involved in hosting community fundraisers to fight hunger, which has allowed Mario, a man who built a career around feeding people, to come full circle.

It was the year 2017 that really changed things for Mario. According to People, he faced allegations of sexual misconduct that destroyed his career. Partnerships dissolved, his media career tanked, and he walked away from the restaurant empire he had built. Also, per People, he was acquitted in a Boston trial. Furthermore, he reached a $600,000 settlement in other cases that same year. Legally, those chapters were closed — but public opinion? That’s a more complicated story.

In late 2023, Mario quietly popped back up on screen … sort of. Instead of a glossy Food Network set, he streamed from his own Northport kitchen in a series called Molto a Casa. As Delish shared, the livestreams featured him making Italian classics like cacio e pepe and amatriciana, chatting casually as if you were sitting at the counter with a glass of wine. No dramatic lighting, no studio audience — just Mario, a stovetop, and his comfort zone.

His social media pages? Mostly dormant. He posts on his Instagram a few times a month. He, however, hasn’t posted a video to his YouTube channel in nearly a decade. According to Eater, the constant media buzz that used to orbit around him is a far cry from what his life is like now.

Outside of the few times he posts to his Instagram, Mario mostly lives his life outside of the spotlight he once stood in so proudly. Still, he reportedly still manages to do the one thing he loves in a more small town setting and without the constant stress of landing in the headlines.