Controversial three-Michelin-starred Danish restaurant Noma expanded in L.A. early this month with a retail shop in Silver Lake, attracting immediate criticism.

The restaurant, which started its 16-week L.A. residency in March at a private location within Paramour Estate, sells fermented goods and cookbooks through the pop-up shop, “Noma Projects.” It is the first U.S. location for the retail branch, opening from Thursday to Sunday with an expected departure date in June. The shop is located on Sunset Row.

Among ongoing labor abuse allegations against former celebrity head chef and Noma co-founder Rene Redzepi, both locations faced protests last month. Led by former Noma head of fermentation Jason Ignacio White and labor rights nonprofit One Fair Wage, the protesters demanded a “humane and liveable” wage and an end to abuse.

“It bottles up for years, affecting your life and those around you, all while your abuser trots around the world like he’s untouchable, talking about community and wellness,” posted White on Instagram 10 weeks ago, before the restaurant’s opening. “I am honored to have given my platform to those who are unheard, and I am committed now to finding solutions.”

Facing abuse allegations

Redzepi, who founded the restaurant more than 20 years ago, faced accusations of creating a toxic workspace towards staff, including physical abuse, verbal intimidation, public shaming and professional sabotage. He left the lead operational role March 11, writing in an Instagram post that he would “take responsibility for (his) own actions.”

The New York Times, which first released an investigative piece about the allegations, reported that the restaurant also lost two of its most important sponsors, Blackbird and American Express, before the L.A. location opened. In a response via email, Noma claimed there are no current protests at its L.A. locations, and “hasn’t been for some weeks.” It also shared a full transparency review of its workplace practice to the public. 

Since its inception in 2003, Noma has been named the best restaurant in the world five times by U.K. business-to-business media company William Reed. Redzepi announced in 2023 that regular service at Noma’s Copenhagen location would close at the end of 2024 to become a full-time laboratory for new recipes and supplies behind Noma Projects and other pop-ups.