COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — René Redzepi, the founder and celebrity chef at the iconic Danish restaurant Noma that won three Michelin stars and other international accolades for its innovative “New Nordic” cuisine, has stepped down following allegations of abuse and assault at the Copenhagen landmark.
Redzepi has been dogged for years by reports of mistreatment of his staff as well as his yearslong use of unpaid interns to staff the pricy restaurant, which was ranked first on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants List five times.
But the criticism recently came to a head on social media, and an article in The New York Times detailed former employees’ accounts of abuse just days ahead of the opening of a Noma pop-up in Los Angeles.
Sponsors have since pulled their funding for the Southern California residency, which opened on Wednesday to a small gathering of protesters and where a meal will cost $1,500. Redzepi announced his resignation on Instagram with a tearful video soon after.
“I have worked to be a better leader and Noma has taken big steps to transform the culture over many years,” he wrote in the post’s caption on Thursday. “I recognize these changes do not repair the past. An apology is not enough; I take responsibility for my own actions.”
