Noma, the Copenhagen restaurant from chef René Redzepi that has been hailed as the world’s greatest, has announced plans to permanently close by the end of 2024. The site will be transformed into a full-time food laboratory focused on new dishes and products for its e-commerce platform Noma Projects.
“To continue being Noma, we must change. Therefore, dear guests and friends, we have some exciting news to share,” reads the caption of a January 9th Instagram post from the restaurant’s account. “Winter 2024 will be the last season of Noma as we know it. We are beginning a new chapter; Noma 3.0.”
According to the restaurant’s website, Noma 3.0 will include a period of travel to “search for new ways to share our work,” a letter penned by Redzepi reads. “When we’ve gathered enough new ideas and flavors, we will do a season in Copenhagen. Serving guests will still be a part of who we are, but being a restaurant will no longer define us.”
The news, while not directly cited in the announcement, arrives following recent scrutiny of the fine dining industry’s questionable ethics. Redzepi has previously acknowledged unreasonable hours and often uneven compensation involved in maintaining the industry’s high standard.
“Our goal is to create a lasting organization dedicated to groundbreaking work in food,” his post continues, “but also to redefine the foundation for a restaurant team, a place where you can learn, you can take risks, and you can grow!”
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