Copenhagen's iconic Noma restaurant is set to reopen on August 5, marking a new era for the establishment without its founder, René Redzepi, at the helm and having relinquished its three Michelin stars.

Redzepi announced in March that he would step away from leading the renowned restaurant, which has topped the World's 50 Best Restaurants list five times for its innovative "New Nordic" cuisine, following allegations of abuse and assault that reportedly occurred more than a decade ago. The restaurant has stated that Redzepi will move to a creative director role.

"It’s been crazy tough," said new executive head chef Pablo Soto. "There’s been a lot of media attention and questions about what we’re doing, but we’re still here standing."

During Redzepi's 23 years at Noma, the restaurant faced persistent reports of mistreatment of staff and the long-term use of unpaid interns. Criticism intensified just before the opening of a Noma pop-up in Los Angeles, with The New York Times detailing accounts from former employees alleging verbal abuse and physical assault by Redzepi and his deputies between 2009 and 2017.

Redzepi, 48, issued an apology and announced his intention to step away in a video posted to the restaurant's Instagram. In the video, he expressed excitement about seeing "fresh energy" at Noma.

In addition to Redzepi's reduced role, Noma will no longer be part of the Michelin Guide. The restaurant explained that it would not be included in this year's guide as it had not been open long enough in 2026 to meet the guide's requirements. Noma closed its Copenhagen location in January ahead of the Los Angeles pop-up and remained largely closed for much of the year.

Food correspondent Tom Sietsema suggested that Noma's history of innovation and reinvention since its 2003 opening could help it navigate the current challenges, provided Redzepi remains in the background. "For years it’s been the number one restaurant in the world," he said. "And that suddenly doesn’t just vanish. I think this is a rough time for the restaurant, but people are still curious about it."

Soto stated that the restaurant is nearly fully booked for its first three months, extending to the end of October. The set price per person for the menu with wine pairing is 6,500 Danish kroner, approximately $1,000 USD.

Noma has implemented new systems aimed at ensuring staff well-being and professional growth. "We’ve gone through a period of crisis," Soto noted. "This means we need to be much more attentive to each individual."

Opened in 2003, Noma, a portmanteau of the Danish words for Nordic and food, was founded with the goal of rediscovering local ingredients through foraging and seasonal cooking. Unlike previous offerings structured around distinct seasons, the reopened restaurant will feature a continuously changing menu.

"In this new iteration of Noma, we are opening up our creative process to a new seasonal rhythm," according to the restaurant's website. "This is the 12 seasons of Noma. We are building a continuous flow of creative output, evolving from month to month as the year unfolds."

Chefs were observed preparing dishes featuring pike perch, brown crab, shrimp, and mushrooms in Noma’s open kitchen. Head of research and development Mette Brink Søberg was seen garnishing a berry gazpacho with petals from the restaurant's garden.

Redzepi's departure has been viewed by some as a necessary reckoning for fine-dining kitchen culture, prompting a reevaluation of workplace conditions. Sietsema has observed a growing emphasis among restaurateurs and chefs on staff treatment and compensation, with a rethinking of working hours and time-off allowances to improve overall hospitality.

"All those little examples add up to a big change in the industry, I think," Sietsema commented. "People are really rethinking how they want to work, how hard they want to work, and I think it’s resulting in some better restaurants — better hospitality — overall."