When Narda Lepes showed me around Narda Comedor eight years ago, we moved into the kitchen and I distinctly remember her pointedly saying: “And there’s a lot of space between work stations so nobody ‘accidentally’ touches anybody else’s arse”. I recall surprise — and with hindsight, it was naivety — that she had taken this measure to safeguard her staff from harassment at their workstations, which she knew is unacceptably common in work places. 

This month, the fine-dining world has been rocked, first by a public apology by René Redzepi, the chef and founder of Copenhagen-based Noma (and a leader of his generation, to boot) hours ahead of a powerful The New York Times story that cited 35 former employees renewing accusations of verbal and physical violence in the workplace. This publication was followed a few days later by his resignation from the restaurant — which was about to embark on a pop-up series in Los Angeles, California, with a US$1,500 per head price tag — and all projects aligned with Noma. His actions, however, are not enough for some former employees, who this week continue to protest against Redzepi outside the LA venue.

So, in a month that celebrates women (and that is still needed to remind everyone of women’s contributions to every........

© Buenos Aires Herald