René Redzepi resigned from daily operations at Noma on March 11, 2026—the opening day of its 16-week Los Angeles pop-up—following a New York Times report on abuse allegations detailed in prior coverage. Protests by former employees disrupted the event, and sponsors American Express and Blackbird withdrew support. Redzepi also left the board of his non-profit MAD.
Building on the New York Times investigation into historical physical and psychological abuse at Noma (covered previously), René Redzepi, the restaurant's co-founder and head chef, announced his resignation from daily operations via Instagram on March 11, 2026. "After more than two decades... I take responsibility for my own actions," he wrote, echoing his recent apology and noting ongoing therapy for anger management.
The decision coincided with protests outside Noma's Los Angeles residency at the Paramour Estate in Silver Lake, where $1,500-per-person tickets sold out instantly. Organized by former fermentation director Jason Ignacio White (of noma-abuse.com fame), demonstrators highlighted abuse claims including punches, jabs with tools, and humiliation. Saru Jayaraman of One Fair Wage questioned supporting such a workplace.
Sponsors American Express and Blackbird pulled out; Blackbird's Ben Leventhal called Redzepi's past practices "unacceptable and abhorrent." Noma confirmed the pop-up would continue under new leadership, citing reforms since 2022: four-day workweeks, paid internships, dedicated HR, and an external audit.
Redzepi also stepped down from the board of MAD, the non-profit he founded in 2011. Noma, a pioneer in New Nordic cuisine and multiple World's 50 Best No. 1, ended regular Copenhagen service in 2024 for pop-ups and a planned 2027 reopening.
