Noma Is Cooked

"The specificity of the allegations - forcing workers into the cold to circle a sous-chef while Redzepi was 'punching his employee in the ribs and screaming that no one would go back inside until the chef said, loud enough for all to hear, that he liked giving DJs oral sex'; stabbing cooks with a fork; multiple other stories of Redzepi hitting people as retaliation for minor infractions - are detailed enough to break past the commonly understood belief that high-end kitchens are just tough places to work."

"A separate website, set up independently of the Times report to detail other allegations of abuse, paints an even more harrowing picture of life inside the world's most famous fine-dining establishment. One example entry: 'People are crying and breaking down constantly. Even sexual abuse at the staff party. Nothing was done.'"

René Redzepi announced Noma's closure three years ago, which many suspected was intended to deflect from workplace abuse allegations. A recent New York Times investigation by Julia Moskin published accounts from dozens of former employees detailing years of abuse, including physical violence such as punching, fork stabbing, and hitting staff for minor mistakes. Specific incidents describe Redzepi forcing workers into cold conditions and engaging in humiliating behavior. An independent website corroborates these allegations with additional accounts of psychological abuse, crying staff, and sexual misconduct at workplace events. Redzepi issued a statement apologizing to those who suffered under his leadership.

Read at Grub Street