Protesters gathered Wednesday outside the pop-up of the world-renowned restaurant Noma in Silver Lake over abuse allegations involving its Danish chef.
The demonstration Wednesday was organized by former Noma employee Jason Ignacio White, who previously headed the restaurant’s fermentation lab, along with the wage-advocacy nonprofit One Fair Wage.
Organizers attempted to deliver a letter to chef René Redzepi calling for dialogue, reparations for workers who say they were harmed and broader structural changes to address what advocates describe as exploitative labor practices in the restaurant industry.
“For over two decades, the culture surrounding René Redzepi and Noma has been celebrated without confronting the true harm countless workers have experienced behind the curtains,” White said during the protest.
The demonstration coincided with Noma’s 16-week pop-up residency in Los Angeles, where tickets for the dining experience were priced at about $1,500 per person. Reservations sold out almost immediately after they were released earlier this year.
“Beneath the glamour and stars, workers being pushed beyond their limits, workers being punched and choked, workers being humiliated, and dreams being broken,” White said.
The Copenhagen, Denmark-based restaurant, founded in 2003, has been ranked among the best restaurants in the world and is widely credited with helping popularize New Nordic cuisine, including the use of fermentation and foraging.
Allegations involving Redzepi resurfaced after a report Saturday by the New York Times detailed accounts from former employees describing psychological abuse, intimidation and other mistreatment.
In light of the growing controversy and allegations of abuse, American Express, Blackbird, a new loyalty-point dining platform and the booking platform Resy have pulled their partnership with Noma and cancelled high profile members only dining events during the 16-week pop-up residency.
White began posting allegations from former Noma employees and others on social media last month and said the protest aims to highlight broader labor issues in the fine-dining industry.
Redzepi responded to the allegations Saturday in a statement posted online, apologizing to those affected and acknowledging past behavior.
“Although I don’t recognize all details in these stories, I can see enough of my past behavior reflected in them to understand that my actions were harmful to people who worked with me,” he said in the post. “To those who have suffered under my leadership, my bad judgment, or my anger, I am deeply sorry and I have worked to change.”
Noma did not respond to requests for comment.
However, a representative for Noma told the Los Angeles Times, “We respect the right to protest peacefully and agree it is important to talk about the culture and standards in our industry. Noma has participated in this dialogue for many years and taken strides to improve. We recognize change should have come sooner, and for that we are sorry.”
The Noma residency in Silver Lake is expected to run about four months and will also include a pop-up shop selling products such as coffee and hot sauce.