R
ené Redzepi carved out a unique place in the elite world of haute cuisine, notably popularizing fermentation, which has become a pillar of contemporary cooking. His 2018 book The Noma Guide to Fermentation sold several hundred thousand copies worldwide and still sits on the shelves of countless restaurants, as well as among discerning home cooks who became fans of fermentation jars.
Until recently, listing experience in the kitchens of the Danish master chef was highly prized in France. But on Thursday, March 12, following revelations of abuse reported by The New York Times, the 48-year-old Redzepi announced he was stepping down from Noma, which he opened in 2003. Located in Copenhagen, the restaurant was named the world's best five times by the 50 Best ranking and earned three Michelin stars, among other accolades.
The New York Times investigation, published March 7, detailed physical violence, including punches and the use of kitchen equipment as weapons, along with threats and public humiliation of employees between 2009 and 2017. Redzepi did not wait for any potential legal proceedings before stepping down; Denmark's statute of limitations for such offenses is five years. In a 2013 interview with The Guardian, the chef admitted that he had long behaved as a "beast." And in a 2015 essay in which he said he'd been a "terrible boss," he claimed to have started working on himself. This latest scandal proves that no chef, regardless of their reputation, is untouchable.
