Noma’s Los Angeles Residency Overshadowed by Abuse Allegations

Just days before its highly anticipated 16-week residency in Los Angeles, Danish restaurant Noma and its chef, René Redzepi, are facing a wave of allegations detailing physical and psychological abuse of former employees. The allegations, reported by The New York Times, have prompted an apology from Redzepi and a promise of reform from the restaurant, but have also fueled plans for a protest as Noma prepares to open at the Paramour Estate in Silver Lake.

Allegations Detail Years of Abuse

The New York Times interviewed 35 former Noma employees who described a pattern of abusive behavior from Redzepi spanning from 2009 to 2017. The allegations include instances of punching, pushing, and disciplining staff with kitchen tools, as well as public humiliation. Specifically, former employees allege Redzepi punched a sous-chef during a public shaming in 2014, and another chef was punched in the ribs after using her phone in the dining room. Other accounts include verbal abuse targeting a Turkish intern for his accent, with supervisors allegedly making gobbling sounds when he passed by Los Angeles Times.

Redzepi and Noma Respond

René Redzepi issued a public apology on Instagram on March 7, acknowledging harmful past behavior. “Although I don’t recognize all the details in these stories, I can observe enough of my past behavior reflected in them to understand that my actions were harmful to people who worked with me,” he wrote. He stated he has “worked to change” through therapy and reflection Newsweek.

Noma released a statement asserting that the claims “do not reflect the workplace Noma is today.” The restaurant acknowledged the seriousness of the allegations, stating they are looking into them carefully and have implemented improvements since 2022, including a dedicated human resources team, a fully paid internship program, and improved working hours. Noma has also transitioned to a four-day work week Eater LA.

History of Concerns

Redzepi himself acknowledged a history of bullying behavior in a 2015 essay published in Lucky Peach, admitting to yelling at and “pushing” people. Prior to 2022, human resources at Noma were reportedly handled by Redzepi’s mother-in-law, Bente Svendsen, according to The Times Los Angeles Times. Previous reports in 2023 also detailed allegations of unpaid internships and 16-hour workdays Eater LA.

Protest Planned at Los Angeles Residency

Jason Ignacio White, a former head of fermentation at Noma, began sharing anonymous testimonies of abuse on Instagram in February and launched a website to collect further accounts. As of March 9, the website contains stories from 56 former workers Eater LA. White, alongside the organization One Fair Wage, is organizing a protest outside the Paramour Estate in Silver Lake on the first day of Noma’s Los Angeles service, beginning at 4 p.m. Eater LA.

Industry-Wide Concerns

The allegations against Noma are not isolated. The high-pressure environment of professional kitchens has long been associated with abusive behavior. Chefs David Chang and Mario Batali have also faced allegations of misconduct in the past Eater LA. A 2022 research paper highlighted the role of suffering in high-conclude kitchens, detailing instances of extreme behavior Eater LA.

Noma’s 16-week residency in Los Angeles is priced at $1,500 per person Newsweek.