Head chef of world-renowed Noma restaurant resigns amid allegations of physical and psychological abuse of staff
Several corporate sponsors, including American Express, have withdrawn their support for his recent Los Angeles residency amid the allegations
The head chef of the three Michelin-starred restaurant Noma, one of the most widely-regarded restaurants in the world, has resigned amid allegations of abuse.
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René Redzepi announced his departure on Instagram, saying: "After more than two decades of building and leading this restaurant, I’ve decided to step away and allow our extraordinary leaders to now guide the restaurant into its next chapter."
Previous employees have accused the Danish-Albanian chef of creating a toxic workplace environment – including verbal and physical abuse, according to ongoing media reports.
The restaurant and food innovation lab, which is based in Copenhagen, has been preparing for its three-month Los Angeles residency which began on Wednesday.
However, several corporate sponsors, including American Express, have since pulled out after the abuse claims re-emerged and protests escalated outside the restaurant.
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A recent report in the New York Times detailed a series of allegations against Redzepi by former employees, spanning more than a decade.
Between 2009 and 2017, 35 former employees told the Times that the chef had "punched employees in the face, jabbed them with kitchen tools and slammed them against walls".
The exposé also detailed the psychological abuse employees suffered which included "intimidation, body shaming and public ridicule".
Employees reported that Redzepi had threatened to use his influence to get them blacklisted from restaurants around the world, to have their families deported, or get their wives fired from their jobs.
Jason Ignacio White, a former Noma employee said: "To be honest with you, I think the repercussions of staying silent are worse than me speaking up and standing with my peers against violence."
'Deeply sorry'
In his resignation post on Saturday, Redzepi said: "To those who have suffered under my leadership, my bad judgement, or my anger I am deeply sorry and I have worked to change."
He added: "When I first started cooking, I worked in kitchens where shouting, humiliation, and fear were simply part of the culture."
"I remember standing there as a young cook thinking that if I ever had my own kitchen one day, I would never lead like that.
"But after we opened Noma and the pressure began to grow, I found myself becoming the kind of chef I had once promised myself I would never be."
The chef said he had since been to therapy and found "better ways to manage his anger".
Redzepi has also resigned from the board of MAD, a non-profit organisation that he founded in 2011, which states on its website that it focuses on helping "the next generation of food industry professionals".
Protests took place outside the Los Angeles Noma pop-up, with wage-rights groups calling for Redzepi's resignation.
Saru Jayaraman, a member of One Fair Wage, told CBS News: "Who wants to eat in an environment of abuse.
"Who wants to eat food that comes from the tears and sweat of people who are suffering?"
Several corporate sponsors, including American Express, withdrew their support for the pop-up which will span 16 weeks.
However, Redzepi confirmed the residency would go ahead without him.
Reservations cost £1,120 per person and often sell out in just minutes.
The chef was first captured on camera screaming at staff in the 2008 documentary Noma at Boiling Point.
He has since made several public apologies, including in a 2015 essay, where he acknowledged that he had been a “beast” who pushed and bullied his employees.
