The world has been rocked by a rising number of allegations of sexual misconduct aim at some of Hollywood’s and corporate America’s most powerful men. The last target for these allegations is Mario Batali, the head of the Batali & Bastianich Hospitality Group – a restaurant empire. A woman in her 20s has accused Batali of rubbing her breast without her consent. While a great deal of focus has been placed on the men who are being accused, very little concern is given to the wives of these powerful men. Mario Batali has been married to his wife Susi Cahn for more than 20 years and now she has been thrust into the heart of this controversy.
Because Susi has been in the background, most people are completely unaware of who she is. Here are five facts that will help fill in some of the gaps.
1. She Has Two Children with Mario
Mario Batali and his wife, Susi, have two sons – Benno and Leo. According to sources close to the family, the eldest of the two sons, Benno, is currently studying at the University of Michigan’s College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. It is not clear how the boys are responding to the reemergence of these allegations. Another source suggests that both boys will likely end up in the cooking business.
2. Her Parents Co-Founded Coach, Inc.
Susi, Miles and Lillian Cahn, actually co-founded what would become Coach, Inc. in 1946 and completely took over the business in 1946. After decades of running the company, the Cahns decided to sell the business in 1985 for $30 million. They sold it to the Sara Lee Corporation, citing their desire to devote the majority of their time to the rapidly growing goat farm, which was called Coach Farm.
3. Mario Uses Her Products in His Restaurants
There have been numerous reports coming from multitudinous sources that reveal that Susi’s parents started another business that focused on producing artisanal goat cheese, and Susi became directly involved in the daily operation of the farmstead in 1983 – meaning that she has played a major role in the development of the company’s products, and now Mario has all of Susi’s products in all of his restaurants.
4. She Is Extremely Influential in Holding the Family Together
The primary resident of the Batali family has their primary residence in Greenwich Village in New York; however, in the desire to provide an escape from the hustle and bustle of the city, not to mention the urban hassle that cannot be escaped, Susi loves to have the family spend time in their home in Northport, Michigan. It is away from Mario’s work, but it provides a sense of normalcy.
5. They Are Worth More than $25 Million
While the Batalis will have some work to do to save their marriage, and they will have to invest in a strong PR campaign to rebuild Mario’s image, they will be able to sit comfortably during the process. The Batalis have an estimated net worth of more than $25 million. Mario has restaurants all over the globe, not to mention all his cookbooks. The couple has also invested a portion of their wealth into helping the less fortunate through the Mario Batali Foundation.
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