Once Europe’s Greatest Chef, Noma’s Co-Founder Is Now Accused of Being a Brutal Boss in Viral Allegations

Workers are using social media as a tool to hold business leaders accountable for their actions—founders should take note.

BY KAYLA WEBSTER, STAFF EDITOR

Rene Redzepi. Illustration: Inc; Photo: Getty Images

Bullying your employees is not a recipe for success as a business owner.

Chef René Redzepi, co-founder of the world-famous restaurant Noma, stepped down on Wednesday following reports he abused his employees in the 2000s and 2010s, according to a report in The New York Times.

The allegations put a damper on Noma’s pop-up in Los Angeles, which was attended by protesters chanting and waving signs. Corporate sponsors of the event, including Cadillac, Resy American Express, and restaurant loyalty platform Blackbird, withdrew their support from the event.

“After more than two decades of building and leading this restaurant, I’ve decided to step away and allow our extraordinary leaders to now guide the restaurant into its next chapter,” Redzepi posted on Instagram following the news. “I have also resigned from the board of MAD, the nonprofit organization I founded in 2011.”

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This incident shows that the way founders treat their employees is critical for maintaining a positive brand reputation. Unlike when the reported abuses took place, workers now have social media platforms to hold business owners accountable for their actions—as happened in this instance.

Allegations against René Redzepi

The allegations came to light when former Noma employee Jason Ignacio White started gathering workplace abuse allegations from other former employees and posted them on Instagram.

The posts have more than 17 million views. In them, former Noma employees allege that between 2009 and 2017—when Noma’s Copenhagen restaurant was building a reputation for innovative dishes using native Scandinavian ingredients—the chef would punch members of the staff, jab them with kitchen utensils, and push them up against the wall in anger.

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