Noma has reopened in Copenhagen after nearly three dozen former staffers told the New York Times they experienced physical and psychological abuse between 2009 and 2017. René Redzepi has stepped down as head chef and will serve as creative director and majority owner, while Mette Brink Søberg and Pablo Soto will run day-to-day operations. The team says it aims to address past issues and regain its former accolades, including its Michelin standing.
Noma Reopens in Copenhagen Amid Abuse Allegations as Founder Steps Back From Kitchen
FILE PHOTO - A view of the world-famous Michelin-starred restaurant "Noma" in Copenhagen. (is associated with: «Copenhagen's Noma restaurant reopens following staff abuse scandal») Jörg Carstensen/dpa
Copenhagen’s acclaimed restaurant Noma reopened for service on Wednesday amid fallout from a high-profile scandal alleging that staff were subjected to physical and psychological abuse.
Nearly three dozen former employees told the New York Times that between 2009 and 2017 they were repeatedly exposed to mistreatment, including slapping, being prodded with kitchen utensils and being pushed against walls. Those former staffers also said they were threatened with industry blacklisting, deportation of family members or the loss of partners’ jobs.
René Redzepi, co-founder, majority owner and the restaurant’s former head chef, stepped down from day-to-day kitchen duties after the allegations surfaced. He has acknowledged mistakes, describing himself in one interview as ‘an idiot,’ while contesting that he engaged in what he called truly extreme behaviour.
New Operational Structure
Redzepi is expected to remain closely involved in a creative director role while relinquishing daily management. Danish chef Mette Brink Søberg and Mexican chef Pablo Soto are set to run the kitchen and oversee the restaurant’s operational leadership. Søberg, who worked at Noma for 13 years, told Danish news agency Ritzau that passion can sometimes cause people to lose control of their emotions.
René will have no role in the day-to-day operation of the restaurant, but we will continue to speak with him regularly because we are responsible for bringing his vision for the future to life, Søberg said.
Background And Outlook
Founded in 2003, Noma won international acclaim — including multiple Restaurant Magazine ‘World’s Best Restaurant’ titles — and had earned three Michelin stars before it closed in 2024. The reopened restaurant has said it aims to restore its former reputation and works to move forward while addressing the concerns raised by ex-staff.
This reopening comes as the restaurant and its leadership face scrutiny from the public and the industry. The management has signalled changes to governance and operations while emphasising a desire to learn from past failures and rebuild trust with staff and diners.
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