Renowned chef of Albanian origin, René Redzepi, has announced his resignation from leading the world-famous three-Michelin-star restaurant Noma after being accused of abusive treatment of staff for more than a decade.
The founder of the Danish restaurant announced his resignation on Wednesday after an article by The New York Times revealed allegations that he had harassed and physically assaulted at least 30 employees between 2009 and 2017.
“I have worked to become a better leader, and Noma has taken major steps to transform its culture over many years. I understand that these changes do not repair the past. An apology is not enough; I take responsibility for my actions. After more than two decades of building and leading this restaurant, I have decided to step down and allow our extraordinary leaders to guide the restaurant into its next chapter,” the chef said in a statement, adding that he has also resigned from the board of the nonprofit organization he founded in 2011.
Making the decision public through a video posted on social media, he also apologized to the restaurant’s staff for the situation.“I’m sorry that everyone is in this situation, I truly am,” he said.Redzepi emphasized that the recent controversy does not represent the restaurant’s team and said he is proud of what they have built together. According to him, the intense attention focused on him made him believe that the best way to protect the team was to step down from leadership.“To make sure you feel 100 percent okay, I will step away,” he told staff, adding that he is not avoiding responsibility for the way he led in the past.
The chef encouraged employees to continue the restaurant’s mission and support one another as a team. He described them as his family and said he is confident they will get through this difficult period.
The announcement came at a time when Noma was preparing to open a luxury residency in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles, which Redzepi said will continue as planned despite protests over its opening.“The mission of Noma for the future is to continue exploring ideas, discovering new flavors, and imagining what food can become decades from now. Noma has always been bigger than any single person. And this next step honors that belief,” he concluded.
