Celebrity chef Mario Batali and his business partner have agreed to pay $5.25 million to settle a lawsuit that alleged the two men confiscated a portion of their restaurant workers’ tips. It was reported that the settlement could compensate as many as 1,100 waiters, captains and other staffers at the restaurants. The settlement must still be approved by a judge.

The lawsuit against Batali and Joseph Bastianich, filed in a Manhattan federal court in 2010, claimed the Defendants’’ restaurants had a policy of deducting 4% to 5% from the tip pool at the end of each night. Lawyers for both sides said the matter was resolved to the satisfaction of all parties. Batali’s Manhattan restaurants include Babbo, Bar Jamon and Del Posto.

Source: Claims Journal