Noma Reopens in Copenhagen Under New Leadership Following Abuse Allegations

Herz — World Desk · 1 August 2026 at 05:47 · 30s summary · 3 min read

What we know

Noma reopens in Copenhagen on Wednesday, in the week of August 3, 2026, under new management. It is the first time since founder René Redzepi stepped back from day-to-day operations, according to The Guardian.

Leadership is now handled collectively by Pablo Soto (executive chef), Annika de Las Heras (general manager) and Mette Brink Søberg (head of research and development).

Soto, who has been at Noma for nearly a decade, describes the establishment as "the same Noma". He announces significant changes, including a stronger emphasis on employee wellbeing and their lives outside the restaurant.

Background

Founded in 2003, Noma has been ranked world's best restaurant five times and holds three Michelin stars, establishing itself as a reference point in Nordic gastronomy.

In March 2026, the New York Times published an investigation revealing abusive behaviour by Redzepi towards his team between 2009 and 2017. The alleged incidents include punching, shouting and public humiliation, which occurred while Noma was running a pop-up in Los Angeles.

Redzepi issued a partial apology, acknowledging that he had harmed people without acknowledging all the details. He stepped back from day-to-day management and resigned from MAD—a non-profit association he had co-founded, with the name meaning "food" in Danish, dedicated to reflecting on the future of gastronomy. He retains creative influence over Noma.

Although I do not acknowledge all the details

— René Redzepi, partial public apology, March 2026

The restaurant had closed in 2024 with the intention of converting it into a food laboratory. The decision to reopen was made to provide stability for the team.

The new menu

The former seasonal format—seafood in winter, vegetables in spring and summer, game and forest produce in autumn—has been replaced with an evolutionary monthly menu that can change day to day.