Normally, an event of this scale would warrant coverage. Instead, I found myself making no plans to attend, and even rethinking how I approach my job.<\/p>\n
The pop-up reservations sold out in minutes. I was invited to one of the dinners, but declined. We don\u2019t accept comped meals. And there\u2019s something about supporting a chef who multiple former employees claimed<\/a> punched a colleague in the ribs (and berated him until he admitted that he liked giving DJs oral sex), among other abhorrent behaviors, that makes me lose my appetite.<\/p>\n I have worked in restaurants, but never in the kitchen. For years, chefs have shared horror stories of the high-pressure environment, as if the constant drive and ambition to be the \u201cbest\u201d justified any and all bad behavior.<\/p>\n It is my job to evaluate restaurants. I don\u2019t take their place or importance in the world lightly. But let\u2019s not forget that we are talking about restaurants. These are not operating rooms or battlefields. Are some chefs so self-important that they believe their role above moral and societal obligations?<\/p>\n Redzepi issued an apology<\/a> to his more than 1 million social media followers. It racked up tens of thousands of likes and heart emojis from chefs and fans all over the world. Some dropped into the comments to share positive work experiences under his leadership. I am genuinely grateful that they didn\u2019t endure any abuse. But there were those who did, and they deserve to be heard.<\/p>\n Weeks before the planned L.A. pop-up, former Noma fermentation lab head Jason Ignacio White began sharing anonymous accounts<\/a> of alleged abuse<\/a> at the hands of Redzepi. He\u2019s organizing a protest with the nonprofit group One Fair Wage<\/a>, which is advocating for a $30 minimum wage within the restaurant industry.<\/p>\n Chef Ren\u00e9 Redzepi outside of his restaurant Noma in Copenhagen.<\/p>\n (Laurie Ochoa \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n Many of the criticisms surrounding Noma over the years have centered on the restaurant\u2019s use of free interns to staff its kitchens. It\u2019s a practice the group says it halted in 2022. Shortly after, the restaurant announced that its ultra-fine-dining model was unsustainable, and that it needed to close<\/a>. But the Los Angeles pop-up price tag once again raised concerns over how the restaurant is run, and who is benefiting from all those years of unpaid labor.<\/p>\n There are fine dining restaurants in Los Angeles, where ordering the beverage pairing and supplemental courses will easily run up close to a $1,500 tab. But those restaurants are L.A. restaurants, with L.A. staff and L.A. communities that they serve.<\/p>\n Earlier this year, Redzepi told The Times<\/a> that the price tag would offset the housing of 130 people and the costs for schooling the staff\u2018s children. He also said that he hoped to break even.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve heard the argument that the Noma pop-ups will be good for the L.A. economy. That they will bring in wealthy diners who might not otherwise visit Los Angeles. I want so badly for this to be true. In the last few weeks, Noma hosted collaboration events at Courage Bagels<\/a> and Holbox<\/a>, two restaurants that already attract some of the longest lines in the city. I\u2019ve yet to hear from any business owners that are now slammed with reservations because Noma is in town.<\/p>\n And we keep ignoring the big, heaving elephant in the room.<\/p>\n All forms of assault, including slamming someone against a wall, stabbing and punching, are not OK. It is not OK to treat others poorly because you see yourself as an innovator or a leader in your field.<\/p>\n It\u2019s impossible to know exactly what goes on in someone\u2019s kitchen. But there are dozens of fine dining restaurants that have earned the highest culinary accolades, while fostering safe, equitable and supportive environments. Providence<\/a>, Kato<\/a> and Baroo<\/a> in Los Angeles are just the first few that come to mind.<\/p>\n The thought of giving a platform to someone abusing their staff is something to lose both my appetite and sleep over. If your food, like Redzepi\u2019s, pioneers a worldwide movement, do you warrant coverage anyway? It\u2019s a question I find myself asking with every restaurant I chose to feature for this paper, and every plate of food I post on social media.<\/p>\n I\u2019m not advocating for cancel culture. People should be afforded the ability to acknowledge their behavior, take real accountability and do better. But what is being alleged by former Noma employees is assault, a word both Redzepi and Noma have neglected to use in their recent statements<\/a>. <\/p>\n I have no doubt that many more heart emojis will appear on both Redzepi and Noma\u2019s social media pages.<\/p>\n I hope that at the very least we use this as an opportunity to acknowledge how toxic masculinity, inequity and the perpetuation of alleged criminal behavior in the kitchen became embedded in restaurant culture decades ago. Systemic change is needed now more than ever.<\/p>\n So to everyone who keeps asking, no, I will not be eating at Noma in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n ![\"Chef](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1773182467_194_.jpeg\")
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