Just ahead of its grand opening in Los Angeles, Noma, the Copenhagen-based restaurant with three Michelin stars and named Best Restaurant in the World multiple times, faced some obstacles.
You might’ve heard of the restaurant event. Their four-month L.A. residency went viral for its $1500 per person price tag. Despite the exorbitant price point, reservations for the entire 16 weeks sold out in under 3 minutes back in January.
But Noma’s future became cloudy after a New York Times article recounted alleged abuse by head chef René Redzepi.
What happened?
Redzepi, the head chef and co-founder of Noma, faces serious misconduct allegations after a report released earlier this month detailed accounts of physical and psychological abuse from dozens of former staff members.
Noma responded to the allegations with a statement. “These claims do not reflect the workplace Noma is today,” reads the post.
Did Redzepi resign?
Yes. After a week of online outrage, sponsor dropouts, and protests in front of the L.A. pop-up, Redzepi resigned as head chef on Wednesday, March 11.
“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,” he wrote in a social media statement.
“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.”
Is Noma’s L.A. residency still on?
Yes! The L.A. residency is still on and will run from March 11 through June 26, 2026.
What’s on the menu?
Specific menu items have yet to be released, but the website says Noma’s L.A. cooking “will be shaped by what exists here — the Pacific, the mountains, the desert, and the long distances between them. We’ll spend time getting to know ingredients, producers, and traditions, and let that guide what ends up on the plate, filtered through our imagination and the know-how we bring with us from Denmark.”
The $1500 menu will include the tasting menu and an alcoholic beverage pairing.
