René Redzepi, the chef who turned Copenhagen's Noma into a global dining destination, has stepped down from the restaurant he co-founded in 2003 amid mounting allegations of past workplace abuse, the New York Times reports. His exit follows a Times investigation and viral Instagram posts from former employee Jason Ignacio White that compiled claims from ex-staffers, including accounts of physical assaults and psychological intimidation between 2009 and 2017. Protests greeted Noma's 16-week Los Angeles pop-up on its opening day, and major sponsors including Cadillac, Resy American Express, and the Blackbird restaurant loyalty platform had recently distanced themselves from the event.
In an Instagram statement and a tearful video apology, Redzepi said he had worked to change his leadership style but acknowledged that "an apology is not enough" and said he accepts responsibility for his actions. He also resigned from the board of MAD, the food nonprofit he founded in 2011. Redzepi, who has previously described himself as a bully, did not name a successor but insisted Noma's current team is its "strongest and most inspiring" yet and will lead the restaurant through its Los Angeles residency. (For which all reservations are sold out, NBC Los Angeles reports.) A representative for the $1,500-per-person restaurant, frequently named the world's best and the recipient of three Michelin stars, did not respond to questions from the Times. The restaurant shifted in 2023 away from its full-time Copenhagen location and into the pop-up model being used in LA, KTLA reports.
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