Since opening in 2003, René Redzepi’s Copenhagen restaurant, Noma, has repeatedly earned a place on the list of the world’s 50 best restaurants. Then in January, he decided to close the doors of the business with three Michelin stars. Now he is trying to redefine the very concept of a fine dining restaurant, and reach more diners with his new show, Omnivorewhich premiered July 19 on Apple TV+.
Omnivorewhich he describes as a mix of Anthony Bourdain Unknown Components again Planet Earthtells the story of common ingredients like corn and tuna, placing it in the historical, cultural, and natural contexts of all 16 countries.
When Noma closes at the end of this year, Redzepi will be taking his restaurant—where a meal typically costs about $500—to the street as part of a franchise he calls Noma 3.0. Based in Tokyo, Noma 3.0 will be selling affordable and sweet products created by the team in its labs (think mushroom garum, or vinegar made from ground wild rose petals, starting at $25).
Redzepi joined Fast company editor Yasmin Gagne in Many New Companies a podcast. He discussed redefining good food, getting inspiration from Bourdain, and how he feels when diners photograph him at work.
You explained Omnivore as a mixture in between Unknown Components again Planet Earth. How did you come up with the idea for the show?
When Noma became known around the world, I was actually offered TV jobs about once a month. One of them I remember was called Fire and Ice. The idea was that I should go out and cook with celebrities in cold Scandinavia, and use fire to do it. That was nothing. My favorite childhood TV hero was David Attenborough. I dreamed as a child watching him lift a small leaf [to look at] a beetle under it. Fast forward 10 years, I meet Matt Goulding, the producer of Omnivore. He used to produce Anthony Bourdain’s show and worked with him for a long time. Anyone who does food TV stands on the shoulders of Anthony Bourdain. I wanted that commitment to quality and interesting stories, but at the same time, I’m not the main character. I am not a host, but I am a guide.
a lot of Omnivore it’s all about stability, and it’s something you’ve won over in Noma. How did you build that into the story?
There are a lot of shows and a lot of information out there telling you not to do it. That type is almost green. We knew to leave and stay, that’s not the way we want to deal with things. We are not telling anyone what to do. It encourages people to actually look at the world differently after seeing this show.
It doesn’t make sense to tell people “Next week everyone stop doing everything you love so much because you’ve been doing it for a long time [things] which is wrong.” I think it actually pushes people in the opposite direction of thinking. I eat meat and we also eat meat at the restaurant as a group, but 50% of the days are actually meatless. Researching and doing the show kind of furthered that idea that if we planned it right and cooked it right, we could eat vegetables that tasted like fried chicken. But sometimes getting a roast chicken is also very good.
Omnivore he looks around as Noma closes. What does the next phase of the restaurant industry look like?
We have been open for almost 21 years. We have had incredible success. It became clear that the way we work, the level of attention we have to the daily production as a restaurant is not sustainable. We are changing as a team. We are growing; everyone around us has children. We need to grow as an organization. I realized that if we do restaurant work and open every night, maybe we’ll burn ourselves out a little bit, and the creativity will spill out. And what I love about my job is the creation of things. So we envisioned this new system where the restaurant will operate in the future where we have fun—it will be like our hobby. However, that meant we would lose our income. So building that financial platform is at the center of Noma 3.0, so we can be creatively free.
How are you going to make money now?
We have a fermentation lab, and we have hundreds of things that I feel like we’ve invented. So we thought, let’s see if we can bring that into people’s homes. We started Noma Projects, now there are over 50 different products, from umami paste to oils and all kinds of things to help you cook better. We hope that will be the foundation of the platform. In the future, we will also collaborate with other food startups, or with universities to actually participate in food in a bigger way than feeding 40 to 50 people a night. So there may be other businesses that come beyond our product lines.
Do you think it is possible to run a high-end restaurant and make a profit?
I shouldn’t say it isn’t. It’s very difficult. Maybe you are doing something. I think we will be able to do it. If our plan works, then we will be able to have one strong, strong organization with a strong financial platform, and we will be able to have an organization that can be successful. That’s the goal.
I have to ask you about your favorite food related TV shows and movies. Over there Unknown Componentswho or what inspired you?
I’m not sure if anyone here in America knows Keith Floyd. He was a crazy Englishman who used to drink wine and travel the world. He always had the right comments full of information. He spoke in a sarcastic but friendly manner. Amazing television. As for movies, there are so many. I love it Tampopo, Big Night . . .
What were you thinking? The menu?
I haven’t watched it. Everyone’s asking me, so I decided I’d never watch it because it just came out, we had guests at the restaurant saying, “Oh, you watched it The menu?” They say it’s because it’s said to be inspired by all these Scandinavian restaurants. Also, usually when there is something related to food, they always make fun of it, which is kind of annoying as a food person. We struggle enough, now you have to make a movie that makes fun of everything?
Think making fun of foodies is fair game?
I feel that I am very young, but I still remember the first time I went to the table and someone took a picture of me explaining the dish. I remember going back to the kitchen and feeling so bad. This person is recording me without my permission. Today, most of the time I will be explaining to the table and people will be filming and not really looking at me. They will be watching their screen.
He made a cameo appearance A bear this season. What did you think of the show?
I haven’t watched the full show yet. I only watched some episodes. We know people who come A bearand I actually think they are doing something for the industry. They give opportunity and some attention to the industry. But in terms of looking at it as an industry person myself, it’s very stressful for me. Imagine coming home from work and watching it and feeling like you’re at work again, but it’s always the worst day you’ve ever had at work. In fact, kitchens are not that much.
Do you like to have a fine dining experience yourself?
I love food and I love food and I love to cook and I make good food, but for me this idea of good food is opposed to, let’s say, copper food or a hot dog cart, it’s a false dichotomy, because if you own a hot dog cart and you want to do your best, it takes same level of commitment. Maybe five times a year I do food theater. Most of the time I try to go to mom-and-pop stores or family-run restaurants where they really care and serve you every day. That’s most of the restaurant industry.
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