Noma (restaurant)

Noma is a two-Michelin-star restaurant run by chef René Redzepi in Copenhagen, Denmark. The name is a syllabic abbreviation of the two Danish words "nordisk" (Nordic) and "mad" (food).[2] Opened in 2003, the restaurant is known for its reinvention and interpretation of the Nordic Cuisine.[1] In 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014, it was ranked as the Best Restaurant in the World by Restaurant magazine—as of 2019 it is ranked 2nd.[3][4][5][6]

Noma
Entrance of the former location of noma in Strandgade
Restaurant information
Established2003 (2003)[1]
Owner(s)René Redzepi
Head chefRené Redzepi
Food typeNew Nordic Cuisine; local food
Dress codeNone
Rating Michelin Guide
Street addressRefshalevej 96
CityCopenhagen
Postal/ZIP Code1432
CountryDenmark
Coordinates55°41′04″N 12°36′30″E
Websitenoma.dk

History

Noma's original location was in an old warehouse on the waterfront in the Christianshavn neighbourhood in 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.[7]

In 2003, the warehouse was turned into North Atlantic House, a centre for the art and culture of the North Atlantic region.[8] Noma was opened at the same time by Redzepi and Claus Meyer.[1][9] The restaurant's interior was designed by Space Copenhagen.[10]

Between 12 and 16 February 2013, 63 of 435 diners became ill after eating at Noma, according to a Danish Food Administration report.[11][12] The symptoms were attributed to norovirus, which was believed to have been unintentionally spread by an infected kitchen employee.[13][14]

Redzepi planned to close Noma after 31 December 2016 and reopen it in 2017 as an urban farm near Copenhagen.[15]

Noma reopened on 15 February 2018 after a year hiatus.[16] The restaurant itself also moved from its previous Strandgade location, now housing Restaurant Barr, to its current location on Refshalevej.

In May 2020, during the COVID-19 crisis, Noma re-opened as a wine and burger bar,[17] with takeaway options. It is sometimes referred as "Noma 3.0" by the food media.[18] Redzepi plans to keep this open for at least a part of the summer 2020.

Food
White asparagus with poached egg yolk and sauce of woodruff.

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.[19] Famous dishes include 'The Hen and the Egg', a meal cooked by the diners themselves which consists of potato chips, a wild duck egg, slightly wet hay, salt, herbs, wild forest plants, hay oil, thyme, butter, and wild garlic sauce.[20]

Staff

Redzepi formerly worked at restaurants including The French Laundry, elBulli, Kong Hans Kælder and Le Jardin des Sens. The Chef de cuisine is currently Benjamin Ing. Previously the Chef was Dan Giusti, who took over from Matt Orlando.[21] The head sommelier is Norwegian Mads Kleppe.

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.[22][23][24][25]

On 29 March 2014, Noma announced that the restaurant would be relocating to Japan for two months in the beginning of 2015.[26]

On 24 July 2015, Noma announced that the restaurant would be relocating to Australia for 10 weeks in the beginning of 2016.[27][28]

On 12 April 2017, Noma Mexico was opened in Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico. Each multi-course dinner costs US$600.[29] Noma partnered with Traspatio Maya, a nonprofit network of 15 Maya communities to provide Yucatecan ingredients such as white Naal Teel corn, Ixil onions, Xtop pepita, bee larva, and Melipona honey from the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve.[30] Products from the rest of the country are also included, such as Baja California wine, Chiapas coffee and Oaxaca artisanal plateware.[31][29][30] The pop-up closed on 28 May.[29]

Awards

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.[45]

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.[46]

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.[47]

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.[48] In 2014, Noma regained the title.

Other recognition

The restaurant was featured in Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown on 6 October 2013.[49]

  • Grilled leeks with ashes, hazelnut, yoghurt and caramelized chicken gravy.
  • Mousse of Sorrel and granita of Rosa rugosa and Beetroot.
  • Rye bread and chicken skin with rygeost (Danish smoked cheese) and wolffish roe.
  • Toast with turbot roe, herbs and vinegar dust.
  • Raw prawns with seaweed, rhubarb and herbs.
  • Pickled and smoked quail eggs.
  • Marrow with pickled vegetables.
  • Meringue and ice made with birch and honey.

References
  1. "Nordic Chef Explores Backyard". The New York Times. 6 July 2010.
  2. "Ny Nordisk Mad er usikker eksportvare – Videnskab.dk – May 10, 2010". Videnskab.dk. Archived from the original on 19 July 2012. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
  3. Wallop, Harry (26 April 2010). "Noma in Copenhagen named best restaurant in the world – April 26, 2010". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
  4. "The 2011 World's 50 Best Restaurants are…". CNN. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
  5. . CNN.
  6. "2019: No. 2 NOMA (Copenhagen, Denmark)". The World's 50 Best Restaurants. Restaurant. 2019.
  7. "North Atlantic House – A whiff of days gone by". North Atlantic House. Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 21 May 2009.
  8. Kristinsdóttir, Signý. "The hub for North Atlantic culture". Nordic Style Magazine.
  9. "Noma founder Rene Redzepi: We went from zeros to heroes overnight". Metro. 13 November 2013.
  10. "Noma Restaurant by Space Copenhagen". Dezeen.com. 1 November 2012. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
  11. "63 guests take ill after eating at Noma". Politiken.dk (in Danish). 8 March 2013. Archived from the original on 11 March 2013. Retrieved 8 March 2013.
  12. "Dinner at 'world's top' restaurant in Denmark sickens dozens". BBC News. 8 March 2020. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  13. Hallock, Betty (9 March 2013). "Food FYI: Norovirus hits Noma; 63 sickened [updated]". Los Angeles Times.
  14. Abend, Lisa (10 March 2013). "When the World's Top Restaurant Serves Up a Bug". Time.
  15. Gordinier, Jeff (14 September 2015). "René Redzepi Plans to Close Noma and Reopen It as an Urban Farm". The New York Times. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
  16. "20 Questions That Explain René Redzepi's Relaunch of Noma". Eater. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
  17. Redzepi, René. "We're opening a wine bar – noma". noma.dk.
  18. Frank, Søren (15 May 2020). "Noma genåbner som burger- og vinbar". Berlingske.dk (in Danish).
  19. "Manifesto for a New Nordic Cuisine". Food & Wine. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  20. "The hen and the egg: René Redzepi's signature dish".
  21. Lander, Nicholas (6 May 2011). "There is nothing like a Dane: What distinguishes Noma is not just its inventiveness. Its location is wonderful too". Financial Times. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
  22. O' Ceallaigh, John (24 April 2012). "The 'world's best restaurant' comes to London: Copenhagen's Noma restaurant will decamp to Claridge's hotel this summer". The Telegraph. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
  23. Lisa, Markwell (1 August 2012). "World's best restaurant comes to town... and it's serving ants". The Independent. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
  24. Bazalgette, Peter (13 July 2012). "A nomadic Noma: The Copenhagen restaurant is hosting a 10-day London pop-up at Claridge's. Its crew will bring their own red seaweed oil, but many ingredients will be British". Financial Times. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
  25. "Episode 3". Inside Claridge's. Episode 3. 17 December 2012. BBC Television. BBC Two. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  26. "noma - japan". noma. 29 March 2014. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
  27. Lane Nieset (31 December 2015). "Jet-Set Bohemian: From Forest to Table". pastemagazine.com. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  28. Ho, Tienlon (2 February 2016). "The Noma Way". The California Sunday Magazine.
  29. "Everything You Need to Know About Noma Mexico". Eater. 11 April 2017.
  30. "What to Expect at The Much-Anticipated Noma Pop-up in Tulum". Vogue.
  31. "The artisans of Noma Mexico – noma". noma.dk.
  32. "Past List 2006: No. 33 NOMA (Denmark)". The World's 50 Best Restaurants. Restaurant. 2006.
  33. "Past List 2007: No. 15 NOMA (Denmark)". The World's 50 Best Restaurants. Restaurant. 2007.
  34. "Past List 2008: No. 10 NOMA (Denmark)". The World's 50 Best Restaurants. Restaurant. 2008.
  35. Lai, Trine (21 July 2008). "noma 1st and formel B 10th Best Restaurants in Europe!". Very Good Food.
  36. "New Nordic Food ambassador wins prize". Nordic Co-operation: The Nordic Council and Nordic Council of Ministers. 11 December 2008. Archived from the original on 10 July 2010. Retrieved 9 July 2009.
  37. "Past List 2009: No. 3 NOMA (Denmark)". The World's 50 Best Restaurants. Restaurant. 2009.
  38. "Past List 2010: No. 1 NOMA (Copenhagen, Denmark)". The World's 50 Best Restaurants. Restaurant. 2010.
  39. "Past List 2011: No. 1 NOMA (Copenhagen, Denmark)". The World's 50 Best Restaurants. Restaurant. 2011.
  40. "Past List 2012: No. 1 NOMA (Copenhagen, Denmark)". The World's 50 Best Restaurants. Restaurant. 2012.
  41. "Past List 2013: No. 2 NOMA (Copenhagen, Denmark)". The World's 50 Best Restaurants. Restaurant. 2013.
  42. "Past List 2014: No. 1 NOMA (Copenhagen, Denmark)". The World's 50 Best Restaurants. Restaurant. 2014.
  43. "Past List 2015: No. 3 NOMA (Copenhagen, Denmark)". The World's 50 Best Restaurants. Restaurant. 2015.
  44. "Past List 2016: No. 5 NOMA (Copenhagen, Denmark)". The World's 50 Best Restaurants. Restaurant. 2016.
  45. Topping, Alexandra (26 April 2010). "René Redzepi's Noma tops list of world's best restaurants". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  46. "Noma Named Best Restaurant in the World For 2nd Straight Year". The Huffington Post. 18 April 2011. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  47. "Denmark's Noma retains best restaurant title". news.com.au. 1 May 2012. Retrieved 1 May 2012.
  48. "World's 50 Best Restaurants 2013: El Celler de Can Roca beats Noma". Bighospitality.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2 June 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
  49. Parts Unknown: Copenhagen, CNN, Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, Season 2, Episode 4. 6 October 2013

Further reading
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