Rene Redzepi Wife Nadine Levy Redzepi Comes Into Focus Amid Noma Abuse Allegations
March 12, 2026 — Copenhagen Recent investigations into alleged physical and psychological abuse at Noma have brought renewed attention to Rene Redzepi’s wife, Nadine Levy Redzepi, whom he met while she worked front-of-house at the restaurant during the period of the claims, from 2009 to 2017.
A New York Times investigation published March 7 detailed accounts from dozens of former employees accusing Rene Redzepi of punching staff, jabbing them with kitchen tools, slamming them against walls, and engaging in psychological abuse including intimidation and body shaming. The report noted an institutional culture of mistreatment that persisted beyond 2017. The Times echoed these findings, describing a “toxic company culture” at Noma, founded by Redzepi in 2004.
Nadine Levy Redzepi’s Background at Noma
Rene Redzepi’s wife, Nadine Levy Redzepi, joined Noma as front-of-house staff, where the couple broke the restaurant’s no-dating policy, as detailed in a Vogue Scandinavia profile. She served as an approachable figure for staff concerns, according to reports. The pair, who have three daughters, married after meeting there.
Career as Cookbook Author and Home Cook
Beyond Noma, Rene Redzepi’s wife is a self-taught chef, cookbook author of Downtime: Deliciousness at Home, and maintains an active Instagram presence (199K followers) sharing family recipes and cooking. Older profiles, such as Grub Street’s 2017 feature, highlighted her simple home cooking contrasting Noma’s intensity, with pieces in The Guardian and Bloomberg.
Recent Family and Noma Context
In July 2025, the LA Times reported Rene Redzepi’s plans for a Noma pop-up residency in Los Angeles in 2026, with Nadine Levy Redzepi and their children joining. However, fallout from the allegations includes protests and sponsor withdrawals for the event, per recent New York Times updates.
Redzepi addressed the claims in a statement, saying:
Although I don’t recognize all details in these stories, I can see enough of my past behavior reflected in them to understand that my actions were harmful to people who worked with me. To those who have suffered under my leadership, my bad judgment, or my anger, I am deeply sorry and I have worked to change.
He has previously acknowledged bullying in a 2015 essay and pursued therapy. Noma ended regular service in 2024, transitioning to a food lab.
