Introduction to Noma’s Next Pop-Up
Noma’s René Redzepi and his international team of chefs, servers, foragers, fermentation geeks, programmers, and more are coming to Los Angeles next year for a months-long residency — the restaurant’s first in the U.S.
“We were supposed to be in L.A. this coming fall,” Redzepi said during a brief interview inside one of the greenhouses next to his Copenhagen restaurant not long before the official announcement. “But with the fires, we thought it was all canceled.” Noma is now aiming for a spring L.A. debut.
The Journey to Los Angeles
Like a troupe of culinary troubadours, Redzepi’s team has packed up their knives and garums several times since the restaurant first opened in 2004 and was named the World’s Best Restaurant five times. In 2016, they traveled to Sydney; in 2017, they were on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula; in 2018, Noma was in Tokyo; and they’ve been to Kyoto twice, in 2023 and 2024. But Los Angeles has long been on Redzepi’s radar.
“We’ve been working on L.A. for a while,” he said. “In fact, we’ve been working on America for a while, never really finding that perfect location. I wasn’t really knowing America well enough to properly make a decision. People would say, ‘Oh, you should be in New York.’ Only when I went with my whole family to L.A. some years back, that’s when we fell in love with Los Angeles. Yeah, I truly fell in love with Los Angeles.”
Falling in Love with Los Angeles
The other times he’d come to Los Angeles had been for work. “It was sporadic, very hectic,” he said. “In and out.”
This extended trip was different for Redzepi, his children, and wife Nadine Levy Redzepi, author of the cookbook “Downtime: Deliciousness at Home.”
“We stayed in Manhattan Beach,” he said. “We had days of just strolling around, meeting people, going to all the farmers markets and realizing how many people I know in Los Angeles. It was great having them take us to their favorite places — with Roy Choi in Koreatown and the guys from Night + Market [Kris and Sarah Yenbamroong] taking us around eating Thai food.”
Chef René Redzepi at his Copenhagen restaurant Noma in a scene from the documentary series “Omnivore” on Apple TV+.
(Per Arnesen / Apple TV+)
The Creative Energy of Los Angeles
At the recently revived Mad Symposium, a gathering of chefs, farmers, and other food professionals, as well as artists and thinkers, one of the speakers was Los Angeles chef Justin Pichetrungsi of Anajak Thai. His talk: “How to Take Over Your Parent’s Restaurant in Five Easy Steps.”
“He’s an extraordinary guy. I really, really like Justin,” Redzepi said. “To tell the truth, when I went [to his Thai Taco Tuesday] for the first time, that’s when I felt, OK, this has to be the place, Los Angeles.
“Because I was like, this can only happen in Los Angeles. There’s something going on — that sort of daringness where you just do things. There’s a creative energy I find in Los Angeles that is based on sort of this grassroots experience, not on money that made you be creative.
“It’s actually more rare than you think in food these days, because most food, you know, it’s big budgets, it’s big projects.”
The Diversity of Los Angeles
“Another thing I love about L.A.?” he said. “Tacos. Not just tacos. Noodles. Sushi. Ahhh! … You can find every single ingredient in Los Angeles, and they all taste extraordinary.
“When you come from Denmark, a homogeneous place, it’s exciting to arrive in L.A. It’s like the world came to live in one place.”
Redzepi, of course, is known for staffing his restaurant with chefs and servers from all over the world.
“Our team is from everywhere,” he said. “Mexicans, Chinese, Italians, which is lovely.” His current head chef is Pablo Soto, who is from Mexico City.
Overcoming Challenges
“The only thing that can stop us,” Redzepi acknowledges, “is if we don’t get visas. I just got my visa a few days ago.”
Redzepi is hoping that even with the fraught political environment, his team can contribute something good to the city.
“We’re gonna come to L.A. wearing the biggest positivity hat you can imagine. We’re just gonna give it all we have, and we’re gonna cook, and we’re going to be with people, and we’re going to hike in the mountains, and we’re going to have coffee shops. We’re going to have pop-ups with other people. It will be five or six months of energy and trying to meet all the creative people of Los Angeles, and learn from them and be inspired by them.”
Preparations and Anticipation
Members of the Noma team have already made three trips to L.A. for research without Redzepi. “We were worried that if I went on these trips people would sniff out the project and the news would get out. But he plans to arrive for the long term in late fall.
“If everything goes well, I’ll be there in November. I can’t wait.”
Conclusion
The arrival of Noma in Los Angeles is a highly anticipated event, marking a new chapter in the city’s culinary scene. With its diverse and vibrant community, Los Angeles is the perfect location for Redzepi’s team to showcase their creativity and passion for food. As the team prepares to bring their unique dining experience to the city, fans and foodies alike are eagerly awaiting the opportunity to taste and experience the magic of Noma.
FAQs
Q: When is Noma expected to open in Los Angeles?
A: Noma is aiming for a spring L.A. debut.
Q: Where will Noma be located in Los Angeles?
A: The exact location has not been announced yet.
Q: How long will Noma be in Los Angeles?
A: The residency is expected to last for five or six months.
Q: What can fans expect from Noma’s pop-up in Los Angeles?
A: Noma’s team will bring their unique dining experience, showcasing their creativity and passion for food, and collaborating with local chefs and restaurants.
Q: Will René Redzepi be present during the pop-up?
A: Yes, Redzepi plans to arrive in Los Angeles in November and will be actively involved in the pop-up.
