Founder of Noma, Once Rated the No. 1 Restaurant in the World, Faces Abuse Allegations from Former Employees
Founder of Noma, Once Rated the No. 1 Restaurant in the World, Faces Abuse Allegations from Former Employees
Charlotte PhillippSun, March 8, 2026 at 2:48 AM UTC
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René Redzepi in 2021Credit: THIBAULT SAVARY/AFP via Getty -
Former employees of one of the top-ranked restaurants in the world, Noma, have come forward to accuse its founding chef of abuse
Former employees allege that chef René Redzepi doled out violent punishments and verbally abused his employees at the Copenhagen restaurant
"It felt like we were working in an E.R. or a submarine that was going down," one chef said
Dozens of former employees of one of the most renowned restaurants in the world have come forward to accuse its founding chef of both verbal and physical abuse.
In a new report from The New York Times published on Saturday, March 7, former employees at Noma — an acclaimed Copenhagen restaurant that once held the title of the highest-ranked restaurant in the world before it closed in 2023 — allege that chef René Redzepi doled out violent punishments and verbally abused his employees.
One chef, identified just as Alessia, told the Times that "going to work felt like going to war."
"You had to force yourself to be strong, to show no fear," she said.
The new report described a February 2014 incident in which Redzepi, 48, allegedly ordered his whole kitchen staff to follow him outside the restaurant and gather around in a circle before he berated a sous-chef who was playing music that he didn't like in the kitchen.
Redzepi then allegedly punched his employee in the ribs and screamed that no one would be allowed back inside the building until the sous-chef said, loud enough for all to hear, that he liked giving DJs oral sex, in a reference to the music that the sous-chef was playing. The employee eventually complied, and the staff went back inside the kitchen, the Times reported.
The exterior of Noma in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 2014.Credit: Jorg Carstensen/picture alliance via Getty
Though allegations have been made against Redzepi for years, according to the Times, Jason Ignacio White, a former head of Noma's fermentation lab, shared posts on Instagram last month stating that he witnessed countless instances of abuse at the restaurant during his three-year tenure there.
The Times said in its Saturday report that it had interviewed 35 former Noma employees, who detailed instances where, between 2009 and 2017, Redzepi allegedly punched employees in the face, jabbed them with utensils and tools, slammed them into walls, and psychologically abused them using intimidation, body shaming, public ridicule and more.
One incident reported by the Times occurred in 2011 when an anonymous former cook said that Redzepi noticed that he had left a tiny tweezer mark on a flower petal as he placed it onto a dish. Redzepi allegedly grabbed him by the straps of his apron and slammed him against the wall, then punched him twice in the stomach, the cook said, adding that he was attacked by the Noma founder countless times when he worked there.
Yet another chef recalled saving up for a year and selling her car so that she could afford to take a job at Noma in 2013, as many of the restaurant's employees were unpaid. She claimed that one night during service, Redzepi saw her using a phone, which was forbidden during working hours — though the chef said she was using it to turn down the music in the restaurant at a guest's request.
She claimed that without saying anything, Redzepi turned and punched her in the ribs, causing her to fall against a metal counter and cut her hip.
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René Redzepi in 2021Credit: THIBAULT SAVARY/AFP via Getty
Redzepi — who has been lauded by figures like Anthony Bourdain, was awarded three Michelin stars for his work in fine dining and sustainable eating, and was also knighted by the queen of Denmark — has previously apologized for inappropriate behavior at work, after he was captured yelling at employees in the 2008 documentary Noma at Boiling Point.
In a statement to the Times on Saturday, Redzepi said he stepped away from leading routine restaurant service when Noma closed and has "found better ways to manage my anger" after going to therapy.
"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 said.
Some former chefs told the Times that while they experienced traumatic incidents while working with Redzepi, they don't regret working at Noma because of the restaurant's legacy and cultural standing.
"It felt like we were working in an E.R. or a submarine that was going down," Ben, a chef who worked at Noma in 2012, told the Times. "It was hell, but I learned so much that I can't say I regret it."
The Noma organization now focuses on selling luxury kitchen goods and creating pop-up dining experiences — including an upcoming event in Los Angeles, which is reported to be charging guests $1,500 per person for dinner.
The upcoming event has sparked a new conversation about Redzepi's behavior from former employees, who say that they are owed a further apology.
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"Noma is not a story of innovation," White wrote in a February Instagram post. "It is a story of a maniac that would breed a culture of fear, abuse & exploitation."
"His damage to young chefs & trusted team members created a generation of broken dreams and future abusers that spread globally," White continued. "It still matters & we are coming forward in hopes to build a better future for everyone in the culinary landscape we dedicated our lives to."
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