René Redzepi, the head chef and co-founder of Noma, has resigned from his Copenhagen restaurant following allegations of physical and psychological abuse of staff. The announcement came amid protests in Los Angeles ahead of a four-month pop-up that launched this week.
The New York Times detailed claims that Redzepi punched employees, jabbed them with kitchen implements, and slammed them against walls, based on interviews with 35 former employees. He was also accused of threatening to blacklist staff, have their families deported, or get family members fired from other jobs.
In an Instagram story, Redzepi said: “I’ve decided to step away and allow our extraordinary leaders to now guide the restaurant into its next chapter.” He acknowledged his past behaviour was harmful and said he was working to change. He also resigned from the board of Mad, a non-profit he founded in 2011.
American Express and hospitality company Blackbird cut ties with Noma ahead of the LA pop-up. Blackbird, which had bought about $100,000 worth of tickets, offered refunds. The pop-up, charging $1,500 a ticket, sold out in three minutes.
Noma has been repeatedly ranked No 1 on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants and holds three Michelin stars. Redzepi, with over 1 million Instagram followers, has faced previous criticism for his behaviour, including in a 2008 documentary where he was filmed screaming at cooks.
