Noma enters a new chapter in Copenhagen

After months of uncertainty and one of the most turbulent periods in its history, Noma will reopen on August 5, marking the beginning of a new chapter for one of the world's most influential restaurants.

The reopening follows a difficult period for the Copenhagen institution and its founder René Redzepi. In recent months, the chef has faced renewed scrutiny over old leadership and workplace culture, dating back 10-15 years ago, while the group was forced to reassess previously announced plans for Noma's future.

As part of the transition, Redzepi has stepped away from the restaurant's daily operations, paving the way for a new leadership structure.

In this new chapter for Noma, Head Chef Pablo Soto and Head of R&D Mette Søberg will assume leading roles at the restaurant, while Annika de Las Heras has been appointed CEO of Noma Group. Previously Managing Director and COO of Noma Projects, de Las Heras now oversees the organization's overall strategy and future development.

While Redzepi remains involved in Noma's broader creative vision and future projects, the restaurant's next chapter will be shaped by a new generation of leaders.

Soto will continue to oversee kitchen operations and service, while Søberg, who has spent 13 years at Noma, assumes expanded leadership responsibilities and will guide much of the restaurant's culinary direction.

While much of the team has spent recent months in Los Angeles, Søberg has remained primarily in Copenhagen, where she and a small group from the test kitchen have already been laying the groundwork for Noma's return. The wider creative team is now gradually returning to Denmark and is expected to be fully reunited in the coming weeks ahead of the reopening.

A Revised Vision for Noma

The direction of Noma has also changed following the turbulent events surrounding the restaurant's Los Angeles residency.

Originally, Noma planned to transition into a primarily research-driven organization, with only limited restaurant openings beginning in 2027. Teams would focus on long-term projects exploring the future of food, ingredients, and sustainability.

But after the challenges of the past year, many of those plans were reconsidered.

According to Søberg, the experience reinforced the importance of the restaurant itself as the creative heart of the organization.

"I think Noma is Noma, and what we really do best is to be a restaurant," she says.

Several research projects remain in development, including work surrounding seaweed and future food systems, but some initiatives have been pushed further into the future.

Instead, Noma will combine restaurant operations with innovation projects, allowing the kitchen to continue serving as the engine behind future ideas and collaborations.

Redzepi's reduced operational role will also allow him to devote more time to these future ventures while stepping away from the demands of daily service.

Twelve Seasons Instead of Three

Another major change comes in the kitchen itself.

Since 2018, Noma has operated according to its well-known three-season model: seafood, vegetable, and game. Now, the restaurant will move toward a more fluid approach inspired by the rhythms of nature.

Internally described as "the 12 seasons of Noma," the concept focuses on the specific ingredients available during each month of the year rather than grouping them into broader seasonal categories.

Inspired in part by Japanese micro-seasons, the new approach will allow menus to evolve continuously as ingredients reach their peak.

Guests returning several times throughout the year can expect significant changes to the experience, with dishes adapting to everything from summer tomatoes and fjord shrimp to autumn shellfish, berries, and wild game.

For Søberg, the model represents an opportunity to reconnect even more deeply with Nordic nature.

A New Era Begins

Founded in 2003, Noma has topped The World's 50 Best Restaurants list five times and helped define the New Nordic movement.

With its reopening on August 5, the restaurant enters a new era – one that combines the research ambitions of Noma with the dining experience that made it one of the most influential restaurants in modern gastronomy.