NOMA: CLOSING & IMPLICATIONS FOR WIDER FINE DINING INDUSTRY

Abstract

When co-founders Rene Redzepi and Claus Meyer announced in 2023 that they were planning to close Noma, patrons were shocked. After all, how could the best restaurant in the world be closing after experiencing so much success? Chefs within the fine dining industry, however, were used to such patterns. It is clear from past examples that it is becoming a trend for restaurants to hit peak success and then close shortly after. A thorough review of articles detailing the closing of Noma reveal an overreliance on unpaid labor and extreme pressure from financial burdens and expectation from guests. The factors of Noma’s closing were emphasized due to the pandemic and are indicative of unsustainable practices within the wider fine dining industry, providing evidence for the significant decay of the industry as a whole.