René Redzepi resigns from Noma following allegations

René Redzepi, the founder of world-famous Copenhagen restaurant Noma, has stepped away from his role at the business, following allegations of abuse from former staff.

As Noma begins a residency in Los Angeles, Redzepi's decision follows an article published by the New York Times, which centres on allegations from former employees about abusive workplace behavior and exploitative labour practices. 

Noma's former employees described a culture where Redzepi allegedly engaged in physical abuse and public humiliation. 

The chef's initial response, which he shared on Instagram, says that while he didn't "recognise all details in these stories" he could "see enough of my past behaviour reflected in them to understand that my actions were harmful to people who worked with me".

Changes do not repair the past

Following his online statement on 8 March, Redzepi took to Instagram once again to announce his departure from Noma. Posted alongside a video of the chef addressing his team, this is what he said:

"The recent weeks have brought attention and important conversations about our restaurant, industry, and my past leadership.

"I have worked to be a better leader and Noma has taken big steps to transform the culture over many years. I recognize these changes do not repair the past. An apology is not enough; I take responsibility for my own actions.

"After more than two decades of building and leading this restaurant, I’ve decided to step away and allow our extraordinary leaders to now guide the restaurant into its next chapter. I have also resigned from the board of MAD, the nonprofit organization I founded in 2011.

"For anyone wondering what this means for the restaurant, let me say it clearly: the Noma team today is the strongest and most inspiring it has ever been. We’ve been open for 23 years, and I’m incredibly proud of our people, our creativity, and the direction Noma is heading.

"This team will carry forward together into our LA residency, which will be a powerful moment for them to show what they’ve been working toward and to welcome guests to something truly special.

"Noma’s mission for the future is to keep exploring ideas, discovering new flavors, and imagining what food can become decades from now. Noma has always been bigger than any one person. And this next step honors that belief."

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