René Redzepi, head chef of Noma, has apologized for past workplace abuse detailed in a New York Times investigation covering 2009-2017, just days before the restaurant's 16-week, $1,500-per-seat Los Angeles pop-up begins on March 11. Former employees allege physical and emotional harm, with a protest planned outside the venue.
René Redzepi, co-founder of Copenhagen's Noma, faces renewed scrutiny over historical allegations of abuse at the restaurant ahead of a high-profile 16-week residency at Los Angeles' Silver Lake Paramour Estate (March 11 to late June), which sold out in 60 seconds.
A New York Times investigation published March 7-8, 2026, compiled accounts from dozens of former employees describing physical abuse—including punching, pushing, and jabbing with tools—alongside verbal humiliation, psychological harm, deportation threats, and public shaming. One former employee, Alessia, told the Times, "Going to work felt like going to war. You had to force yourself to be strong, to show no fear." Mehmet Çekirge, a 2018 intern, recounted supervisors mocking his accent with animal sounds in a bullying culture. The report highlighted inadequate HR (one person, Redzepi's mother-in-law), unpaid interns, and collective punishments affecting all staff for individual errors.
Former fermentation lab head Jason Ignacio White has amplified claims since February 8 via Instagram and noma-abuse.com, which compiles stories from 56 staff and drew over 9 million views in two weeks. He called Noma "a story of a maniac that would breed culture of fear, abuse & exploitation," creating "a generation of broken dreams and future abusers." White, backed by One Fair Wage, is organizing a March 11 protest at the pop-up.
Redzepi responded on Instagram: "Although I don't recognize all details in these stories, I can see enough of my past behavior reflected in them to understand that my actions were harmful to people who worked with me. To those who have suffered under my leadership, my bad judgment, or my anger, I am deeply sorry and I have worked to change." He attributed early influences to toxic kitchen cultures, detailed therapy and anger management, and noted delegating leadership. Redzepi has stepped back from daily service.
Noma stated: "These claims do not reflect the workplace Noma is today... we take them seriously and are looking into them carefully." Improvements include paid interns, expanded benefits, dedicated HR, leadership training, and an independent safety audit.
Noma, opened in 2003 and multiple times named the world's best restaurant, ended regular operations in late 2024, shifting to pop-ups and a food lab, with plans to reopen in Copenhagen in 2027.
