Noma's Closure as the End of an Era

• 42:07After 9/11, French restaurants fell out of favor in New York City both because France opposed the Middle East invasion and because three-hour tasting menus felt grotesque when 3,000 people had just died.
• 42:47The Green Market movement and raw industrial aesthetics replaced opulent fine dining as restaurants became more authentic in response to cultural shifts.
• 43:23René Redzepi spent a decade showing people that nature must be tamed, presenting it in the most refined way at Noma.
• 43:47A former Noma intern described working there as akin to being kidnapped from life due to the grueling schedule.
• 44:19Scandinavians have a cultural concept meaning don't stand out, yet Redzepi dared to be exceptional and show people that eating precious things is the most regal feeling.
• 45:06Tim had wanted to visit Noma as his Mount Everest restaurant before it closed, comparing it to El Bulli which also shut down.
• 46:14He discussed his fascination with Noma with opening comedian Sam Talent, noting that staff fear Redzepi.
• 46:54When critics say working at Noma stole their life, Tim asks what else they were going to do anyway, defending Redzepi as a genius doing extraordinary things.
• 47:50Noma represents total dominance over the natural world before it kills us, and Redzepi has been bullied by critics and influenced by films like The Menu.
• 49:01Noma's closure signals the end of an era of fine dining built on humiliating and abusing the natural world, which Tim sees as integral to great dining.
• 49:59Since peace with Earth is impossible, people should fully dominate nature before the Earth takes its revenge, which is why Noma's closure saddens him.
• 50:20Noma was the only reason wealthy people and anyone at all thought to visit Copenhagen, making it perhaps the greatest restaurant of all time.

NomaRené Redzepifine diningThe MenuTom ColicchioSam TalentCopenhagenNew York City