Dress code None | Rating Founded 2004 | |
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Established 2003 (14 years ago) (2003) Profiles | ||
Noma is a two-Michelin-star restaurant run by chef René Redzepi in Copenhagen, Denmark. The name is a portmanteau of the two Danish words "nordisk" (Nordic) and "mad" (food). Opened in 2003, the restaurant is known for its reinvention and interpretation of the Nordic Cuisine. In 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014, it was ranked as the Best Restaurant in the World by Restaurant magazine.
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History
The restaurant is located in an old warehouse on the waterfront in the Christianshavn neighbourhood of central Copenhagen.
The building is situated by the Greenlandic Trading Square (Danish: Grønlandske Handels Plads), which for 200 years was a centre for trade to and from the Faroe Islands, Finnmark, Iceland, and in particular, Greenland. Dry fish, salted herring, whale oil and skins are among the goods that were stored in and around the warehouse before being sold off to European markets.
In 2003, the warehouse was turned into North Atlantic House, a centre for the art and culture of the North Atlantic region. Noma was opened at the same time by Redzepi and Claus Meyer. The restaurant's interior is designed by Space Copenhagen.
Between 12 and 16 February 2013, 63 of 435 diners took ill after eating at Noma, according to a Danish Food Administration report. The symptoms were attributed to norovirus, which was believed to have been unintentionally spread by an infected kitchen employee.
Redzepi plans to close Noma after 31 December 2016 and reopen it in 2017 with an urban farm near Copenhagen.
Food
The cuisine of Noma is Nordic/Scandinavian; the restaurant's founders René Redzepi and Claus Meyer have attempted to redefine this Nordic cuisine. Its cuisine can be considered more an interpretation of Nordic food than classical Nordic food itself, according to Meyer in the book Noma – Nordic Cuisine. Famous dishes include 'The Hen and the Egg'.
Staff
Redzepi formerly worked at restaurants including The French Laundry, elBulli, Kong Hans Kælder and Le Jardin des Sens. The Chef de cuisine is Daniel Giusti. Matt Orlando, who met Redzepi whilst working at The Fat Duck, left the restaurant in 2014 to open his own restaurant. The sommelier is Norwegian Mads Kleppe.
Awards and rankings
The Worlds 50 Best Restaurants
Noma won the Restaurant magazine award for The World's Best Restaurant three years in a row, from 2010 to 2012. It won the award again in 2014.
In 2010, the restaurant, as a relative newcomer, startlingly stole the crown that El Bulli had held for four consecutive years. This came soon after previous first and second place chefs Ferran Adria and Heston Blumenthal announced that they would be temporarily closing their restaurants. At the time, Noma was viewed as the head of a new movement to spread New Nordic cuisine.
In 2011, with El Bulli having withdrawn from the competition because they would be permanently closing, Noma was easily named the Best Restaurant for the second straight year. It was selected by a worldwide panel of journalists, chefs, restaurateurs, and food lovers. The restaurant continued its dominance without having earned a third Michelin Star.
In 2012, Redzepi won the award for Noma yet again, being praised by Restaurant as being "the standard bearer for the New Nordic movement" and winning respect for his attention to detail and innovative approach. His use of local and seasonal ingredients foraged from the seashore and forest was also recognized.
In 2013, Noma was voted the second best restaurant in the world, having lost the first-place position to El Celler de Can Roca in Girona, Catalonia, Spain. In 2014, Noma regained the title.
Other recognition
The restaurant was featured in Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown on 6 October 2013.
Temporary locations
From 28 July to 6 August 2012, Noma decamped to London for a 10-day pop-up restaurant hosted by Claridge's hotel in Mayfair, while the restaurant in Copenhagen was closed from 22 July to 13 August for refurbishment. Redzepi, along with head chef Matt Orlando and staff from the restaurant, served up a £195-per-head nine-course menu that included their versions of scones and clotted cream, Lancashire hotpot with British ingredients, as well as live ants foraged in Denmark and flown to London.
On 29 March 2014, Noma announced that the restaurant would be relocating to Japan for two months in the beginning of 2015.
On 24 July 2015, Noma announced that the restaurant would be relocating to Australia for 10 weeks in the beginning of 2016.