The celebrity chef Mario Batali, one of the country’s most high-profile restaurateurs, is stepping away from the daily operations of his businesses and the daytime program he co-hosts on ABC, “The Chew,” amid allegations of sexual misconduct.

Mr. Batali released a statement after a report was published Monday on Eater, the food website, that said four women had alleged that Mr. Batali touched them inappropriately in a pattern of behavior that appeared to span at least two decades. Three of the women worked for Mr. Batali, and the fourth worked in the restaurant industry, Eater reported.

In his statement, Mr. Batali apologized and said that the accusations “match up” with his behavior:

“Although the identities of most of the individuals mentioned in these stories have not been revealed to me, much of the behavior described does, in fact, match up with ways I have acted,” he said in the statement. “That behavior was wrong and there are no excuses.”

“I have work to do to try to regain the trust of those I have hurt and disappointed,” he added. “For this reason, I am going to step away from day-to-day operations of my businesses.”