Celebrity chef Mario Batali is in hot water with a big client base--bankers--after he made remarks comparing them to Hitler and Stalin at Time magazines 'Person of the Year' debate last night.

According to Forbes, Batali said the following (emphasis ours):

I would have to say that who has had the largest effect on the whole planet without us really paying attention across the board and everywhere is the entire banking industry and their disregard for the people that are supposed to be working for them [sic]….So the ways the bankers have kind of toppled the way money is distributed and taken most of it into their hands is as good as Stalin or Hitler and the evil guys…[T]heir evil has had a huge effect on the world.

Now we hear from sources that bankers at a bunch of major banks are telling each other to cancel all reservations at Batali's eateries, including Babbo and Del Posto, which are expense account staples for the big firms.

One bank even reportedly told staffers they wouldn't reimburse receipts from Batali's restaurants, according to Eater.

Looks like Mario forgot that old adage, don't bite the hand that feeds you (or bite the hand that pays you to feed it).

Need an alternative for that client dinner tonight?