Celebrity chef René Redzepi, founder of iconic Danish restaurant Noma, which has won three Michelin stars and multiple other international recognitions for its New Nordic cuisine, has announced his resignation following allegations of abuse and assault at the Copenhagen landmark. “I’ve always strived to be a better leader and Norma has taken significant steps over the years to change the culture,” he wrote in the caption of his post Thursday. “I recognize that these changes will not repair the past. An apology is not enough; I take responsibility for my actions.”
physical assault, public humiliation, abuse
The accusations against Redzepi are not new, but this time they have not gone unnoticed. The New York Times detailed the employees’ harrowing experience working under the world-famous chef — just days before a Noma pop-up was scheduled to open in Los Angeles. Now, sponsors have withdrawn funding from the project in Los Angeles, and protests have been held against Redzepui. Those who worked under him recall that going to work felt like going to war. The New York Times report highlighted an incident in 2014 in which Redzepi ordered all kitchen staff to follow him out of the restaurant during a busy dinner hour. He was pushing around one of the sous chefs, a young man who played a style of music that the boss didn’t like. He punched the employee in the ribs while 40 chefs watched, as it was a ritual with a new target each time. Redzepi was knighted by the Queen of Denmark. In 2013, Anthony Bourdain called him “without a doubt the most influential, provocative and important chef in the world.”One woman said she was beaten when Redzepi saw her using a phone that was strictly prohibited during services. She fell on a metal counter and cut her hip. She said no one said a word after the attack and she had to leave work.
