Copenhagen's famed Noma restaurant prepares to reopen without chef Redzepi at helm

Denmark's iconic Noma restaurant is preparing for a new chapter as it reopens on August 5, but without its celebrated founder, chef René Redzepi, in a leadership role. The establishment will also not feature its three Michelin stars, having decided not to participate in this year's guide.

Redzepi announced in March that he would "step away" from leading the Copenhagen institution. This decision followed numerous allegations of abuse and assault at the restaurant, many of which reportedly occurred more than a decade ago. During his 23 years at Noma, the restaurant garnered significant international acclaim, topping the World's 50 Best Restaurants List five times for its pioneering "New Nordic" cuisine.

Despite the controversy, Noma is embarking on this "new chapter" with longtime chefs taking over the kitchen and a monthly rotating menu focused on seasonal ingredients. "It's been crazy tough," said new executive head chef Pablo Soto. "There's been a lot of media attention and questions about what we're doing, but we're still here standing."

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It's been crazy tough. There's been a lot of media attention and questions about what we're doing, but we're still here standing.

Redzepi, once considered arguably the world's top chef, had faced persistent reports of staff mistreatment and the long-term use of unpaid interns. Criticism intensified before a Noma pop-up in Los Angeles, with a New York Times article detailing former employees' accounts of verbal and physical abuse between 2009 and 2017. Redzepi issued an apology and announced his intention to step away in a video posted on the restaurant's Instagram.

Food correspondent Tom Sietsema of NOTUS believes Noma's history of innovation could help it navigate the fallout, provided Redzepi remains in a background role. "For years it's been the number one restaurant in the world," he noted. "And that suddenly doesn't just vanish. I think this is a rough time for the restaurant, but people are still curious about it."

The restaurant shuttered its Copenhagen location in January for renovations and its Los Angeles pop-up, remaining closed for much of the year. Noma anticipates reinventing itself as it moves forward.

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For years it's been the number one restaurant in the world. And that suddenly doesn't just vanish. I think this is a rough time for the restaurant, but people are still curious about it.