{"id":4003,"date":"2026-03-12T06:25:12","date_gmt":"2026-03-12T06:25:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/news\/4003\/"},"modified":"2026-03-12T06:25:12","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T06:25:12","slug":"celebrity-chef-rene-redzepi-resigns-from-noma-amid-past-abuse-allegations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/news\/4003\/","title":{"rendered":"Celebrity chef Ren\u00e9 Redzepi resigns from Noma amid past abuse allegations"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Chef Ren\u00e9 Redzepi announced he will \u201cstep away\u201d from Noma, his lauded Copenhagen restaurant, and has resigned from MAD, the community-building nonprofit he founded.<\/p>\n

The chef\u2019s announcement follows dozens of recently resurfaced abuse allegations as well as a protest Wednesday outside the gate of Noma\u2019s L.A. pop-up in Silver Lake.<\/p>\n

The news came after a dizzying five days of developments related to the $1,500-a-seat pop-up that Redzepi announced last summer and was sparked after a Saturday report in the New York Times detailing past allegations of abuse in the restaurant\u2019s kitchen in Denmark.<\/p>\n

The pop-up opened Wednesday afternoon for its first guests, with a small gathering of protesters outside calling for more accountability and higher wages for restaurant workers.<\/p>\n

Anonymously submitted allegations of physical and verbal abuse began appearing on Instagram last month when a former Noma staff member, Jason Ignacio White, used his own account to platform and post them. On Saturday, the report<\/a> by the New York Times detailed accounts of alleged abuse under Redzepi between 2009 and 2017, including stabbing, punching, intimidation and threats of retaliation.<\/p>\n

Redzepi responded with a public apology posted on Saturday<\/a>.<\/p>\n

On Monday, representatives for the restaurant told the Los Angeles Times the 16-week pop-up would continue as planned<\/a>. Then on Tuesday, key sponsors of the event withdrew support<\/a> and offered refunds to their customers.<\/p>\n

By Wednesday late afternoon, after a protest of Noma L.A.\u2019s official launch, Redzepi posted another statement, this time to his Instagram stories, writing that \u201can apology is not enough; I take responsibility for my own actions.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Noma team today is the strongest and most inspiring it has ever been,\u201d he said in his statement. \u201cWe\u2019ve been open for 23 years, and I\u2019m incredibly proud of our people, our creativity, and the direction Noma is heading. This team will carry forward together into our L.A. residency, which will be a powerful moment for them to show what they\u2019ve been working toward and to welcome guests to something truly special. \u2026 Noma has always been bigger than any one person. And this next step honors that belief.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"People <\/p>\n

Former Noma employee Jason Ignacio White, center, holds a sign saying, \u201cNoma broke me,\u201d during a protest in Silver Lake on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

(Ronaldo Bolanos \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n

A representative for the restaurant did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It was unclear whether Redzepi would remain an owner. Redzepi previously announced that he was leaving day-to-day restaurant service and instituted practices such as paying interns and establishing a new human resources system.<\/p>\n

Late Wednesday morning, roughly a dozen protesters filed out of a shuttle bus at Noma\u2019s gated location. Exiting first was White, who carried a black, white and pink sign that read, \u201cNoma broke me,\u201d in bold letters. <\/p>\n

Others filed out holding signs such as \u201cRen\u00e9, your \u2018genius\u2019 is built on broken dreams,\u201d \u201cNo Michelin stars for violence\u201d and \u201cUnpaid labor built your empire.\u201d<\/p>\n

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They\u2019d come to Silver Lake to protest Noma\u2019s pop-up, which officially kicked off a multiweek L.A. residency inside the historic Paramour Estate with lunches and dinners priced at $1,500 per seat.<\/p>\n

White co-hosted the protest with worker advocacy nonprofit One Fair Wage. During the protest, White \u2014 along with other members of the restaurant industry, including B\u00e9 \u00d9 chef-owner Uy\u00ean L\u00ea \u2014 took to the microphone to demand systemic change in hospitality.<\/p>\n

White read an open letter to Redzepi<\/a>, which included a list of demands co-authored by One Fair Wage. The letter called for accountability and reparations, and gave Redzepi 24 hours to respond. White then placed the letter in the gate of the pop-up\u2019s estate, where it remained for hours.<\/p>\n

\"A <\/p>\n

Jason Ignacio White at a protest against Noma on March 11 in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n

(Ronaldo Bolanos \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n

By afternoon, a stream of Cadillac SUVs with tinted windows delivered Noma guests through the gate.<\/p>\n

Multiple diners, who requested anonymity for fear of public backlash, told the Los Angeles Times by phone this week that they were aware of the allegations but planned to keep their reservations.<\/p>\n

One diner, who works in the hospitality industry and is flying across the country to attend the pop-up and visit friends, is keeping his seat. After reading the allegations, he said, he grappled with the decision and discussed it with his dining group.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor all of us who work in the industry or adjacent to it, we all have done this mental math,\u201d he said. \u201cWe all know about the dirty secrets in restaurants, and we make this decision. \u2026 The people that we\u2019ll be interacting with, they\u2019re not at fault. There\u2019s more to a restaurant or business than just the figurehead up top.\u201d<\/p>\n

The group decided to attend the dinner but not post about it on social media.<\/p>\n

Another protest organized by White and One Fair Wage is scheduled for Thursday afternoon outside the Silver Lake estate.<\/p>\n