The celebrity chef, who remains under police investigation over alleged sexual assault, faces new sexual misconduct claims.

• May 31, 2018

AceShowbiz - Seven women have come forward to share sickening stories of chef Mario Batali to Eater. The stories involve groping, forcible kissing and propositioning them when they met him. Some of the women said that they were Mario's fans who asked for photos. When they went to pose with him, the chef allegedly groped and kissed them. Sometimes, he even put his tongue in their mouths.

Sharelle Klaus, one of the former fans of Mario, revealed her own sickening story when she met the chef back in 2012 and took a selfie with him. After taking a selfie, Mario put his hands down her pants and under her underwear, groping her behind. "In one moment, you go from being really excited to meet this guy, who's like a hometown hero, to just disgust," Sharelle said.

28-year-old Natalie Tene from Boston revealed that Mario forcibly kissed her at a bar next to his Eataly Boston in April 2017. She was a fan who sneakily tried to snap a photo of Mario from afar because she was too nervous to approach him. The chef then called her over and offered to take selfies. She described the result as "shockingly uncomfortable."

"He was just so drunk, and I'm, like, trying to smile for these pictures, and he's pushing my face into his, kissing me, rubbing my breasts and my body and saying, 'one more pic, one more,' " she said. "It all happened so fast, in the moment I was just like, 'what is going on, this is so pervy-is this how you treat your fans?' "

Another accuser named Rebecca Marshall, 60, also told Eater about her experience meeting Mario in 2017. She asked Mario to take a photo with her and Mario allegedly asked her to sit on his lap. She admitted that she did what Mario told him to, but then his behavior made her uncomfortable as he started kissing her on the cheek. "He stuck his tongue in my mouth," she said. "I hope that people understand if it happens to them, they don't have to be ashamed."

New York Police Department revealed its decision to probe Mario based on accusations in a "60 Minutes" interview on Sunday, May 27. A former employee of his Spotted Pig restaurant claimed that the chef drugged and sexually assaulted her in 2005. She explained that she had a drink with him and the next thing she remembered was waking up on the floor of his "rape room" with scratches on her legs and semen on her skirt.

After the report, Batali & Bastianich hospitality group announced on Wednesday, May 30 that Mario's divestment from the restaurants would be finalized by July 1.