When I was an executive chef in the ‘90's, I told each person I hired that I cared deeply about the quality of the food we produced. And that I cared just as deeply about the happiness of my staff. I expected everyone to treat each other with respect, kindness, and compassion and that they could expect that from me as well. I also didn’t yell or swear, and expected that to be the norm in the kitchen. I believe a mad chef is a bad chef, and that food made with love tastes better.
My husband and I visited Noma in 2014, and had a similarly horrible experience.
We consider ourselves fairly adventurous diners. But even without food poisoning, the dishes we were served ranged from barely palatable to gag-reflex-inducing.
After a procession of seaweed foam, raw kohlrabi, raw meat with ants on it, and other awful bites, we felt like we were being punked. When the maître d’ stopped by, I said, “I know the chef is trying to challenge us, but is the food also supposed to taste good?”
It was an honest question which my husband was both proud of and horrified by, in equal parts. But there was no clear answer, other than the fact that it was the worst meal of our lives.
The experience felt borderline abusive, even as paying customers. To now know Redzepi was abusive to his staff is even more disgusting than his food was.
I never particularly wanted to go, because the food did not appeal to me. I knew I didn't want to be challenged to eat live ants. I don't think fear and trepidation should be part of anticipating a dining experience, especially a very expensive one. Your post a few years ago convinced me that my instincts were correct, and now this news even more so. I guess the movie "The Menu" was not to far off the mark. Good riddance!
I don’t see anyone bringing up the film “The Menu” here. That’s what I envision when I read about Noma! It’s always been pretentious to the point of absurdity. But now we know that it was also deeply twisted.
There was a time when I sought out the best restaurants, but that was another life. Both the food pictured here and the dishes you described are disgusting. They are an insult to the customer. I’m glad someone dared to pull back the curtain on this deception.
I dined at Noma in 2023 during vegetable season. I had already seen The Menu and was not expecting to see the very direct references on display at Noma. From the moment we arrived it was obvious the movie was based on this specific restaurant.
As to the food and experience, I too was extremely disappointed. I am fortunate to have dined at many of the world’s best restaurants (on the lists and in the guides) and was expecting a meal that met or surpassed those experiences. After I don’t know how many courses presented and served by a competent, solicitous staff that bordered on creepy, when asked what I thought of the evening, my response was “not good…..I understand what you are trying to do…pushing the envelope and innovating….but at the end of the day it has to be delicious…and this was not delicious!”
That was met by a shocked expression and the presentation of their “gift” from their fermentation lab (on sale at their gift shop) and buh-bye.
I will add I was particularly rankled by the fact that after charging a truly exorbitant price for a meal I didn’t enjoy, they charged EXTRA for coffee. Not espresso or latte or some fancy cappuccino….plain coffee.
What especially upset me about that NY Times article were the co-workers who watched the abuse yet did not intervene. They continued doing their jobs as if it were just business as usual--which if you think about it is kind of sick. I'm not an outgoing person nor am I much of a fighter, but even I cannot see myself doing nothing after witnessing a co-worker be punched repeatedly in the ribs by my boss--especially that female who was struck because she used her cell phone to help out a customer. Apparently, the prestige of working at Noma and that monster Redzepi, was more important than challenging and exposing that abuse. What Chef Redzepi did was criminal behavior. He should have been sued and arrested for assault.
Strong me too. I imagine a lot was about the fear of being back listed, but at what cost? And I speak as someone as someone who did stand up at work and try to deal with verbal and sexual abuse of some young girls that was going on under everyone’s noses. And was fired not long after. Have always been sure the two things were connected.
I remember your Noma story, it cracked me up Adam! I am confused about the NYT framing here. What they are describing is not merely a toxic work environment but actual crimes of violence (unless Danish law is really tolerant of punching, slamming against walls, throwing people against tables causing bloodshed, etc?). I am confused about why the criminal legal system is not mentioned (at all!) when crimes were regularly occurring in plain sight.
Nobody reported it to police, and now the statutes of limitations have run out. Typically for misdemeanor assault (here in US) it’s a year or two following the incident. If they don’t file within that time frame, they can’t.
Danish (all European nations have similar) workplace abuse law, governed by the Working Environment Act and the Act on Equal Treatment, strictly mandates that employers provide a safe, harassment-free environment. Employers must prevent bullying, sexual harassment, and physical/psychological violence, with failure potentially resulting in hefty fines, increased compensation for victims, and liability for both the company and perpetrators.
Working at a top-tier restaurant like Noma is seen as a major career catalyst, making interns and staff reluctant to jeopardise their positions, hence why they rarely complain. Redzepi has now resigned from Noma.
Well said…. And although I was always intrigued by Noma- and certainly would have loved to pilgrim there in days past…I’m glad to take it off my list now, given the recent news…
But honestly- why does this industry take itself so seriously and produce (over and over again) completely toxic environments?? Like WTF.
Because they have to survive. To survive if you get a Michelin or best restaurant or get fame worldwide, that means more attention, more demand, more guaranteed business. It’s such a tough industry to be in. Especially this fine high dining food
From what I’ve read, Eric Ripert worked in many kitchens that were seething with hostility and abuse only to renounce it in his own kitchen. Le Bernadin has proved that a great restaurant doesn’t need to run a torture chamber in the back to be great in the front of the house.
I recalled your earlier review after reading Julia Moskin's report several days ago. Call me a fuddy-dud but give give me grandma cooking any day. You were definitely on target!
Really appreciate you speaking up. Too many food people are staying silent. I also immediately thought of your post about Noma and the picture of the fish head when I read NY Times piece this week. Someone wrote that many of the interns and staff were immigrants on work permits and didn’t have the luxury of walking out of an abusive situation or reporting it. My feelings about Scandinavian countries being so forward thinking and enlightened has been severely tested this week.
Honestly what do you want to happen if they are voluntarily there. and never complain? How do you think the law works? Nonsense. Americans aren’t exactly raiding chicken processing plants to rescue immigrant workers btw and people have actually lost limbs…grow up.
This is so true. Restaurants like this should be consigned to history. All of these places miss the point entirely - that you’re supposed to enjoy it and the food should be delicious. It should be a life enhancing experience and should be memorable for the right reasons, none of which are present at Noma or places similar. It’s not about shocking you, disgusting you, making you feel intimidated, it’s about being hospitable and generous and being able to leave your troubles at the door for a while, in the knowledge that you’re going to be looked after, fed well and leave feeling like your walking on air.
If it needs 50 unpaid staff to make the food and it involves things that have occurred at Noma it’s not real in any way and invalid.
I speak from experience as I’ve been a chef for nearly 40 years, spent a year in France at the end of the 80’s at Michel Guérard’s Les Près d’Eugénie which was a life changing event for my career. There were stagiaires there too, but all set up by their restaurants back home and all paid by them. There were crap jobs to do there too but the kitchen had a pretty good atmosphere, daunting due to the level it worked at but never abusive. The food there sang with flavour and the whole place was dedicated to giving people the best possible hospitality which they delivered in spades. I went back to work in London after that for some great places until I became a head chef in my own right a long time ago.
The restaurant world needs to remember why people go out - to have a good time, see their friends and family and not be browbeaten by somewhere that wants you to bow down to the ego of the genius in the kitchen. I remember a really good friend of mine - very successful restaurateur in London who went to El Bulli once and when I asked him what it as like he said that half of it was disgusting and practically inedible. That’s the wrong way.
As much as I understand that food, like everything, evolves, and there are people that are the driving force to innovation in every field, be it cooking, sport, science etc. there must be a moment when a step back is needed, to just pause, reflect and wonder if things are being done for the right reasons. In the restaurant world that means giving people a good time and that’s the raison d’être
Every time a dish does not come out as I hoped it was because I was worried, I learnt early on to block everything out and to only cook with love, and never upset your staff, they are the ones to face the diners, so you want them to be genuinely happy and they will work 100% harder for those those they like.
This made me laugh. I “ate” at Cortone in nyc. I may have the name wrong, but it was the most pretentious tiny bites meal ever. It was so bad and slow that the servers just kept giving us bread balls. Tiny tiny food. The size of your thumb. We left early, they gave us our dessert to go…8 fucking macaroons. Ick.
We were in Copenhagen but of course, couldn’t score a table at Noma, but did eat at a restaurant that was considered #3 at the time. Something called Snout to Tail (might not be right name, but it was an ex-Noma chef). The claim was they used everything; wasted nothing, and was all locally sourced. Unfortunately, they were true to their word. Everything was complete from the pig, the fish, the squab. My wife is a veterinarian and said it was like doing animal autopsies. Horrible time. But did allow for many funny stories.
This makes me so sad.
When I was an executive chef in the ‘90's, I told each person I hired that I cared deeply about the quality of the food we produced. And that I cared just as deeply about the happiness of my staff. I expected everyone to treat each other with respect, kindness, and compassion and that they could expect that from me as well. I also didn’t yell or swear, and expected that to be the norm in the kitchen. I believe a mad chef is a bad chef, and that food made with love tastes better.
That's my kind of restaurant.
My husband and I visited Noma in 2014, and had a similarly horrible experience.
We consider ourselves fairly adventurous diners. But even without food poisoning, the dishes we were served ranged from barely palatable to gag-reflex-inducing.
After a procession of seaweed foam, raw kohlrabi, raw meat with ants on it, and other awful bites, we felt like we were being punked. When the maître d’ stopped by, I said, “I know the chef is trying to challenge us, but is the food also supposed to taste good?”
It was an honest question which my husband was both proud of and horrified by, in equal parts. But there was no clear answer, other than the fact that it was the worst meal of our lives.
The experience felt borderline abusive, even as paying customers. To now know Redzepi was abusive to his staff is even more disgusting than his food was.
Well said!
I never particularly wanted to go, because the food did not appeal to me. I knew I didn't want to be challenged to eat live ants. I don't think fear and trepidation should be part of anticipating a dining experience, especially a very expensive one. Your post a few years ago convinced me that my instincts were correct, and now this news even more so. I guess the movie "The Menu" was not to far off the mark. Good riddance!
Well said! I’d rather eat your food any day.
Me too haha! I would not eat a fish eye. Sorry.
Well, some people would say that about fish eggs to be fair (not me)
True. It just doesn't appeal to me.
I don’t see anyone bringing up the film “The Menu” here. That’s what I envision when I read about Noma! It’s always been pretentious to the point of absurdity. But now we know that it was also deeply twisted.
There was a time when I sought out the best restaurants, but that was another life. Both the food pictured here and the dishes you described are disgusting. They are an insult to the customer. I’m glad someone dared to pull back the curtain on this deception.
I totally thought about ‘The Menu’ as well!
I dined at Noma in 2023 during vegetable season. I had already seen The Menu and was not expecting to see the very direct references on display at Noma. From the moment we arrived it was obvious the movie was based on this specific restaurant.
As to the food and experience, I too was extremely disappointed. I am fortunate to have dined at many of the world’s best restaurants (on the lists and in the guides) and was expecting a meal that met or surpassed those experiences. After I don’t know how many courses presented and served by a competent, solicitous staff that bordered on creepy, when asked what I thought of the evening, my response was “not good…..I understand what you are trying to do…pushing the envelope and innovating….but at the end of the day it has to be delicious…and this was not delicious!”
That was met by a shocked expression and the presentation of their “gift” from their fermentation lab (on sale at their gift shop) and buh-bye.
I will add I was particularly rankled by the fact that after charging a truly exorbitant price for a meal I didn’t enjoy, they charged EXTRA for coffee. Not espresso or latte or some fancy cappuccino….plain coffee.
Thats diabolical for the coffee.
That was my first thought. I couldn’t stop thinking of the movie reading this entire article.
What especially upset me about that NY Times article were the co-workers who watched the abuse yet did not intervene. They continued doing their jobs as if it were just business as usual--which if you think about it is kind of sick. I'm not an outgoing person nor am I much of a fighter, but even I cannot see myself doing nothing after witnessing a co-worker be punched repeatedly in the ribs by my boss--especially that female who was struck because she used her cell phone to help out a customer. Apparently, the prestige of working at Noma and that monster Redzepi, was more important than challenging and exposing that abuse. What Chef Redzepi did was criminal behavior. He should have been sued and arrested for assault.
In an abusive situation, most people keep their heads down and their mouths shut. Otherwise, you're next.
Strong me too. I imagine a lot was about the fear of being back listed, but at what cost? And I speak as someone as someone who did stand up at work and try to deal with verbal and sexual abuse of some young girls that was going on under everyone’s noses. And was fired not long after. Have always been sure the two things were connected.
I remember your Noma story, it cracked me up Adam! I am confused about the NYT framing here. What they are describing is not merely a toxic work environment but actual crimes of violence (unless Danish law is really tolerant of punching, slamming against walls, throwing people against tables causing bloodshed, etc?). I am confused about why the criminal legal system is not mentioned (at all!) when crimes were regularly occurring in plain sight.
That’s a really good point. I have no idea how that works over there but it’s deeply disturbing.
Nobody reported it to police, and now the statutes of limitations have run out. Typically for misdemeanor assault (here in US) it’s a year or two following the incident. If they don’t file within that time frame, they can’t.
Danish (all European nations have similar) workplace abuse law, governed by the Working Environment Act and the Act on Equal Treatment, strictly mandates that employers provide a safe, harassment-free environment. Employers must prevent bullying, sexual harassment, and physical/psychological violence, with failure potentially resulting in hefty fines, increased compensation for victims, and liability for both the company and perpetrators.
Working at a top-tier restaurant like Noma is seen as a major career catalyst, making interns and staff reluctant to jeopardise their positions, hence why they rarely complain. Redzepi has now resigned from Noma.
Fish eye ball pie? Dear lord. Food needs to be pleasurable not some shock value daredevil bloodsport
Well said…. And although I was always intrigued by Noma- and certainly would have loved to pilgrim there in days past…I’m glad to take it off my list now, given the recent news…
But honestly- why does this industry take itself so seriously and produce (over and over again) completely toxic environments?? Like WTF.
Nope.
Not only this industry. Ever spent time in the fashion industry?
Revolting bordering on sick.
Because they have to survive. To survive if you get a Michelin or best restaurant or get fame worldwide, that means more attention, more demand, more guaranteed business. It’s such a tough industry to be in. Especially this fine high dining food
From what I’ve read, Eric Ripert worked in many kitchens that were seething with hostility and abuse only to renounce it in his own kitchen. Le Bernadin has proved that a great restaurant doesn’t need to run a torture chamber in the back to be great in the front of the house.
I recalled your earlier review after reading Julia Moskin's report several days ago. Call me a fuddy-dud but give give me grandma cooking any day. You were definitely on target!
Really appreciate you speaking up. Too many food people are staying silent. I also immediately thought of your post about Noma and the picture of the fish head when I read NY Times piece this week. Someone wrote that many of the interns and staff were immigrants on work permits and didn’t have the luxury of walking out of an abusive situation or reporting it. My feelings about Scandinavian countries being so forward thinking and enlightened has been severely tested this week.
None of this was reported to the government and the point is these were not danish citizens
Honestly what do you want to happen if they are voluntarily there. and never complain? How do you think the law works? Nonsense. Americans aren’t exactly raiding chicken processing plants to rescue immigrant workers btw and people have actually lost limbs…grow up.
This is so true. Restaurants like this should be consigned to history. All of these places miss the point entirely - that you’re supposed to enjoy it and the food should be delicious. It should be a life enhancing experience and should be memorable for the right reasons, none of which are present at Noma or places similar. It’s not about shocking you, disgusting you, making you feel intimidated, it’s about being hospitable and generous and being able to leave your troubles at the door for a while, in the knowledge that you’re going to be looked after, fed well and leave feeling like your walking on air.
If it needs 50 unpaid staff to make the food and it involves things that have occurred at Noma it’s not real in any way and invalid.
I speak from experience as I’ve been a chef for nearly 40 years, spent a year in France at the end of the 80’s at Michel Guérard’s Les Près d’Eugénie which was a life changing event for my career. There were stagiaires there too, but all set up by their restaurants back home and all paid by them. There were crap jobs to do there too but the kitchen had a pretty good atmosphere, daunting due to the level it worked at but never abusive. The food there sang with flavour and the whole place was dedicated to giving people the best possible hospitality which they delivered in spades. I went back to work in London after that for some great places until I became a head chef in my own right a long time ago.
The restaurant world needs to remember why people go out - to have a good time, see their friends and family and not be browbeaten by somewhere that wants you to bow down to the ego of the genius in the kitchen. I remember a really good friend of mine - very successful restaurateur in London who went to El Bulli once and when I asked him what it as like he said that half of it was disgusting and practically inedible. That’s the wrong way.
As much as I understand that food, like everything, evolves, and there are people that are the driving force to innovation in every field, be it cooking, sport, science etc. there must be a moment when a step back is needed, to just pause, reflect and wonder if things are being done for the right reasons. In the restaurant world that means giving people a good time and that’s the raison d’être
Every time a dish does not come out as I hoped it was because I was worried, I learnt early on to block everything out and to only cook with love, and never upset your staff, they are the ones to face the diners, so you want them to be genuinely happy and they will work 100% harder for those those they like.
If a fancy chef served me artfully arranged dog shit on a plate, I would not eat it. If that makes me a cretin, so be it.
Noma was not 'dogshit'. The food was completely incredible. For years.
This made me laugh. I “ate” at Cortone in nyc. I may have the name wrong, but it was the most pretentious tiny bites meal ever. It was so bad and slow that the servers just kept giving us bread balls. Tiny tiny food. The size of your thumb. We left early, they gave us our dessert to go…8 fucking macaroons. Ick.
We were in Copenhagen but of course, couldn’t score a table at Noma, but did eat at a restaurant that was considered #3 at the time. Something called Snout to Tail (might not be right name, but it was an ex-Noma chef). The claim was they used everything; wasted nothing, and was all locally sourced. Unfortunately, they were true to their word. Everything was complete from the pig, the fish, the squab. My wife is a veterinarian and said it was like doing animal autopsies. Horrible time. But did allow for many funny stories.