Noma LA 2026

Americas - USA West Los Angeles
102

I should have paid more attention. $3K for dinner is too rich for my blood, but this I could swing.

Wishing everyone well who were able to snag ressies.

2 Likes
103

I guarantee the line is bonkers and theyā€™ll sell out before everyone in line gets a drink :sob:

2 Likes
104

Opened at 5, sold out at 7:30. Better than seat reservations but that still seems like an early sell-out for a cocktail pop-up. (I was considering popping down there after dinner when I saw the sold out story on Instagram)

4 Likes
105

koji in a cocktail is a bit bold.

i guess theyā€™ll still be selling their vinegar / sauce products.

i wouldā€™ve expected a Noma x Empirical Spirits collab for cocktails.

1 Like
106

https://www.reddit.com/r/FoodLosAngeles/comments/1qx5kun/noma_x_mirate_no_lines_this_time/

3 Likes
107

You got some drink in your ice

wow, our cocktail enthusiast friends make better looking cocktails than thatā€¦

108

Maybe it was a win to stay home.

1 Like
109

Iā€™m going to go out on a limb and say not a single collab they do will be worth the time or money, but credit to them for bringing business to LA establishments.

3 Likes
110

And hotels. Lots of people flying in.

3 Likes
111

Anyone following the thread from Jason Ignacio White chronicling abuse at Noma?

https://www.instagram.com/p/DUa8Bn-iL52/

5 Likes
112

first Iā€™ve heard of it but canā€™t say Iā€™m surprised. Places like Noma and El Bulli seem like shitty places to work unless you are at the top of the food chain. Good to see it exposed but Iā€™d be shocked to see any accountability

3 Likes
113

I assume itā€™s industry-dependent, but, in my industry (which is not at all related to the restaurant/hospitality business), the general concept is not illegal (AFAIK).

114

An internal email sent from Noma HR meant for current employees is circulating social media

asking everyone not to engage, answer, contribute, etc to any of the claims being madeā€¦

I know this is prevalent in the industry (heck, I experienced it a fair amount as well), but this is kind of a big deal considering Noma is likely the most famous restaurant in the world. Iā€™m sure their PR is working overtime so no LA news outlets are picking up on these stories.

4 Likes
115

I know Rene has taken accountability for being a shit boss in the times and the unpaid stages. I canā€™t tell if any of the folks being reposted on IG are during that era or after.

1 Like
116

Unpaid internships are illegal in California.

117

Kenji Lopez-Alt posted these to his IG stories recently:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DUwJodkiANw/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

https://www.instagram.com/p/DUuyqfaioDX/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

2 Likes
118

I donā€™t want to get into a whole what about-ist thing but on the second post - I find it interesting this happens mostly with food service labor to call the pricing exploitative at a time like this. There are plenty of luxury things where the means of production are similar. No one is like how could Coach release a 1500 bag AT THIS MOMENT. Or a 1500$ iPhone made by similar means of production.

(I know I am ignoring the first post - I have many friends who have worked at Noma, but not under Kenneth and were all after 2013 ish so this was not their experience so I hope everyone who has suffered finds some justice and everyone who perpetuated a culture like that is found outā€¦as someone who is attending the LA popup and been to the CPH restaurant a few times this is conflicting for me but that is life)

9 Likes
119

Yeah, I donā€™t get the second post at all. I mean, isnā€™t kind of how the luxury market works, like, always and forever? Itā€™s the segment thatā€™s the most resilient in an economic downturn, and itā€™s always about exclusivity and exploitation in one form or another.

Does anyone who eats at a super expensive restaurant actually think the staff are all treated kindly there 100% of the time?

Iā€™m not saying issues of exploitation should be ignored, but I almost think the second post would make more sense if the poster were railing against capitalism in general.

Back to the topicā€¦ :slight_smile:

1 Like
120

I think the whole point the poster is trying to make is that exploitation isnā€™t necessary to make something great, especially at a restaurant like Noma, where a sense of ethics is built into the brand and marketing.

A lot of fine dining is based on people being willing to pay extra for something that is produced, raised or sourced ethically. Nomaā€™s whole hyper local, seasonal, sustainably-driven jihad is a testament to this.

Itā€™s not unreasonable to expect that if people are paying a premium because a restaurant treats its kale with respect, they might want that same respect extended to the people employed there.

9 Likes
121

Thanks for the explanation.

I know essentially nothing about Noma, so my take was based solely on my own industry, where product perfection (and the culture involved in making sure that perfection is well advertised) is usually accompanied (and, one could argue, almost ā€œrequiresā€) abusing the people involved in producing the product and where, beyond a certain threshold point, additional cost of the product is often a simply a money grab w/ lots of crass lip service paid to customer service and innovation.