For you Food Network / Mario Batali fans ...

[Akoto]

There was a really big post a few days ago. People were upset to hear that Mario Batali had apparently been removed from the network entirely. Well, a bit of good news for you fans, perhaps!

Food Network Is Still Hot for Mario Batali
TVGuide News Report

Pots and pans have been rattling with rumors that Food Network has fired its longtime stalwart Mario Batali. As the story went, Batali said he wouldn’t do Iron Chef America unless the culinary channel renewed his series Molto Mario. The network reportedly said no, and Batali picked up his cutlery and left.

We went to the man himself for confirmation. "Not true!" Batali tells TV Guide emphatically. "I’m taping two episodes of Iron Chef America in a few weeks. I’m the best Iron Chef, why would I quit? And why would I threaten the network? Molto Mario’s been out of production for two-and-a-half years. We have a fine relationship."

A channel spokesperson backs him up: "Mario is still a major part of the Food Network family," she says.

But Batali, whose empire includes a bevy of pricy eateries in New York and L.A., does admit that the network has changed since the days that top chefs like Sara Moulton and he brought haute cuisine to the masses. "It’s much broader based," he says, appealing to college kids who watch it for fun and guys who want menu tips for tailgate parties. That’s OK as far as he’s concerned. "The Food Network is not just educational, it’s entertainment, too."

LINK: http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-News-Blog/Tv-Guide-News/Food-Network-Hot/800021719