World-famous Noma restaurant reopens after abuse scandal
The world-famous Noma restaurant in Copenhagen reopened on Wednesday following a scandal over allegations of violence and humiliation against its employees, DPA reported.
René Redzepi, Noma’s co-founder, owner and former head chef, will continue to play a key role despite allegations that he slapped employees, poked them with kitchen utensils and pushed them against walls, CE Report quotes AGERPRES.
Nearly three dozen former employees told The New York Times that Redzepi and other senior staff regularly subjected them to physical and psychological abuse between 2009 and 2017.
They also alleged that Redzepi threatened to use his influence to blacklist them from restaurants around the world, have their families deported, or cause their partners to lose their jobs elsewhere.
Redzepi later stepped down as head chef. In a newspaper interview, he admitted that he had been “an idiot” but insisted that he “did not do extreme things.”
He is expected to remain Noma’s creative director while retaining his position as the restaurant’s majority shareholder. Danish chef Mette Brink Sorberg and Mexican chef Pablo Soto are set to take over the day-to-day leadership of the business.
Founded in 2003, Noma was named the world’s best restaurant several times by Restaurant magazine. It earned three Michelin stars before closing in 2024. The restaurant’s new leadership hopes to regain those distinctions.
Photo: Wikipedia
