About this episode
This episode explores the labor issues surrounding the Noma LA residency and the protests against its chef, René Redzepi, highlighting the broader implications for work culture in the restaurant industry.
On March 11, the 5-time World’s Best Restaurant, Noma, began a 3-month Los Angeles residency. The vanguard establishment of New Nordic Cuisine, was finally available to Americans without an international flight. All-inclusive bookings—sold out well ahead of opening day—went for $1500 per person. Diners, arriving in luxury vehicles with tinted windows, anticipated the hyper-local, painstakingly presented menu designed by Noma’s celebrated chef René Redzepi. But first, they had to make it past the protesters. They held signs that said, “Noma broke me,” “Prestige is not a paycheck,” and “No Michelin stars for violence.” The allegations of psychological and physical abuse by Noma’s Redzepi weren’t exactly news. They came to light in drips and drabs over the last decade or so. What’s more, the hostile and often violent environment of commercial kitchens at all levels of service has become fodder for TV and film. But Noma LA provided an event to organize around, a point of focus for demanding attention, action, and restitution. There are a bunch of reasons I wanted to dive into this story on What Works. First, this is a labor story. It’s about what’s acceptable and what’s not when it…
People in this episode
Host: Tara McMullin
Topics covered
- labor issues
- restaurant industry
- psychological abuse
- work culture
- protests
- New Nordic Cuisine
Keywords
- Noma
- René Redzepi
- labor story
- restaurant protests
- work culture
- psychological abuse
- New Nordic Cuisine
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Noma
Places: Los Angeles
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