Noma's 16-week Los Angeles residency at the Paramour Estate, which opened March 11 amid renewed abuse allegations against the Copenhagen restaurant's former kitchen culture, continues without significant new developments. The tasting menu runs $1,500 per person. The LA Times and the Guardian both covered the controversy when it broke, with the Guardian describing "highly problematic behavior" and the LA Times reporting that the pop-up would proceed "despite brewing controversy." [1] [2]

No new allegations, legal actions, or policy changes have been reported this week. Rene Redzepi has not issued further public statements beyond the initial response. American Express and Blackbird, a hospitality technology company, cut ties with Noma ahead of the LA opening, but no additional corporate sponsors have withdrawn. The residency's reservation calendar appears fully booked through its June 26 closing date. [3]

The original Noma in Copenhagen closed at the end of 2024 after Redzepi announced the transition to a food lab and e-commerce operation. The LA residency was framed as an evolution, not a return to restaurant service. The abuse allegations complicated that narrative before the first plate was served.

This thread remains on the watch list. The gap between the restaurant's luxury pricing and its documented labor practices is the kind of story that resurfaces when new sources come forward.

-- CHARLES ASHFORD, London