Why is Noma Closing its Doors?

The team at Noma (credit: https://noma.dk/)

René Redzepi, head chef and co-owner of Noma, is well-known for his unique and avant-garde dishes that often feature unusual ingredients and techniques, such as Mouldy Egg Tart and Reindeer Heart Tartar. Redzepi is a culinary force to be reckoned with. He is known for his strict standards, innovative ingredients approach, and emphasis on sourcing local, Nordic produce. Redzepi is credited with popularizing the modern understanding of foraging and is considered one of the most influential chefs of our time. His culinary philosophy and cutting-edge approach to food have deservedly earned him worldwide recognition and a reputation as one of the top chefs in the world.

However, the restaurant has announced that it will be closing its doors permanently at the end of 2024. The decision to close regular service comes as Noma will transition into a full-time food laboratory focused on developing new products for its e-commerce operation, Noma Projects. Direct-to-consumer food products, such as Wild Rose Vinegar and Smoked Mushroom Garum, will be a focus for Noma in their new Food Laboratory venture. Instead of the typical sit-down meals, the restaurant will be open for only periodic pop-ups, despite its popularity and being a destination for foodies willing to pay at least NZD 650 per person for its tasting menu.

The sourcing of local ingredients, which often requires foraging and preparation, relies heavily on labor-intensive practices. These methods and the demanding schedules that accompany them make it difficult to maintain fair, equitable, and humane work practices, as Chef Redzepi explained to The New York Times. "It's unsustainable," he said, "Both financially and emotionally, it is not feasible as an employer or as a human being.

Reportedly this has been a longstanding issue, and the pandemic has only exacerbated the problem, with the added cost of paying interns and addressing travel and visa restrictions. It needs to be more sustainable to compensate nearly 70 employees fairly while maintaining high standards, especially when the market won't bear higher prices.

There's also a new generation of workers pushing back against the traditional model of elite fine dining, which is often intense and labor-intensive. As a result, the fine dining industry is facing a sustainability crisis, with a new generation of workers rejecting the traditional model of working for free as stagier (A "stagier" (or "stage" in French) is an unpaid or low-paid chef). This has been widely criticised because in many cases the stagiers do the same work as paid staff but are not receiving any compensation and sometimes work very long hours.

Reports indicate that the typical "stage" at Noma would involve long hours, starting as early as 7 a.m. and not finishing until midnight. In the kitchen, there are typically 25 stagiers working in a brigade of 45 chefs to prepare meals for 40 people at lunch and 40 at dinner. This intense and labor-intensive nature of fine dining makes it increasingly difficult to maintain high standards while compensating employees fairly. The decision to close Noma came not long after the restaurant implemented the practice of paying their stagiers. According to The New York Times, the implementation of paying interns at Noma has resulted in an additional monthly expense of NZD 78,000 for the restaurant's budget. Compensating nearly 70 employees fairly while maintaining high standards at prices the market will bear has become increasingly difficult, even as one of the world's most respected and prestigious kitchens.

One of the greatest challenges globally is achieving a better balance for restaurant teams, and it's something we should all constantly strive to improve.

Redzepi shared with The New York Times, "We have to completely rethink the industry."