Batali, 51, spoke on Nov. 8 at a Time magazine event to propose candidates for the world’s “Person of the Year.”
“In terms of changing the way people think, I’m a big fan of Michael Pollan,” Batali added, referring to the author of “The Omnivore’s Dilemma,” “Food Rules” and other books about our attitudes toward the food we consume.
“But I would have to say that who’s had the largest effect on the whole planet without us really paying attention, across the board in every way, is the entire banking industry and their disregard for the people that they’re supposed to be working for,” Batali continued.
“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,” said Batali, according to a video Time posted. “They’re not heroes, but they are people that had a really huge effect on the way the world is operating.”