Noma’s René Redzepi Resigns Following Abuse Allegations
COPENHAGEN, Denmark – René Redzepi, the celebrated chef behind the internationally acclaimed restaurant Noma, has stepped down following allegations of physical and verbal abuse leveled by dozens of former employees. The move comes after a recent report in The New York Times detailed accusations spanning nearly a decade, from 2009 to 2017.
Redzepi acknowledged the allegations in a statement Thursday, stating, “The recent weeks have brought attention and important conversations about our restaurant, industry, and my past leadership.” He added that an apology was “not enough” and that he “takes responsibility for my own actions.”
The accusations, ranging from punching and slamming to screaming, paint a picture of a toxic work environment at the restaurant, which has been ranked number one on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list a record five times. Former employees shared their experiences with Jason Ignacio White, a former head of Noma’s fermentation lab, who posted anonymous testimonies on Instagram.
“I got punched in the face during service there,” one former employee wrote in a testimony shared by White. Another stated the experience “destroyed my passion for the industry,” leading to panic attacks and ultimately, leaving the profession.
The allegations surfaced just days before the opening of Noma’s latest venture – a pop-up restaurant in Los Angeles, where meals are priced at $1,500. The opening was met with protests, and sponsors have since withdrawn their funding.
Kristoffer Dahy Ernst, editor-in-chief of Danish food magazine Gastro, told the Associated Press that Redzepi’s resignation was necessary for the restaurant’s survival. “Ren Redzepi is the face of Noma, he is Noma,” Ernst said. “If you want to solve the huge problem that Noma has right now, you have to remove the source of the problem.”
Redzepi, who was knighted by Queen Margrethe II of Denmark in 2016, also released a tearful video on social media expressing his remorse. “I’m sorry everyone’s in this situation, I really, really am,” he said, urging his staff to “fight” and “find strength in each other.”
Noma, Redzepi, and the Danish royal family’s press department did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The fallout from the allegations raises broader questions about workplace culture within the high-pressure world of fine dining.