René Redzepi
Encyclopedia
René Redzepi is the chef
and co-owner of the two-Michelin star
restaurant Noma
in the Christianshavn
neighborhood of Copenhagen, Denmark
. His restaurant was voted the best restaurant in the world in 2010 San Pellegrino Awards and 2011. Redzepi is noted for his work for the reinvention and refinement of a new Nordic cuisine and food that is characterized by inventiveness and clean flavors.
Redzepi is the son of an ethnic Albanian
father, who migrated to Denmark from what was then Yugoslavia
(now Republic of Macedonia
) and a Danish
mother.
father who had immigrated to Denmark a few years earlier. He moved to Macedonia with his family and lived there until the start of the wars of independence in the former Yugoslavia. After choosing a culinary career at random, he trained at the restaurant Pierre André which had just opened in Copenhagen and soon received a Michelin star. He first visited El Bulli
as a guest in 1998 and subsequently worked there during the 1999 season. Back in Copenhagen he started working at Kong Hans Kælder
which had been one of the city's leading gourmet restaurants since the mid 1970s. In 2001 he spent four months working at French Laundry
but returned to Kong Hans Kælder and Copenhagen.
In December 2002, Redzepi was contacted by Claus Meyer
, who had been offered to operate a restaurant at the North Atlantic House
, a former 18th century warehouse which was being turned into a cultural centre for the North Atlantic region. Noma was opened in 2004 with Redzepi as the head chef.
Chef
A chef is a person who cooks professionally for other people. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who cooks for a living, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation.-Etymology:The word "chef" is borrowed ...
and co-owner of the two-Michelin star
Michelin Guide
The Michelin Guide is a series of annual guide books published by Michelin for over a dozen countries. The term normally refers to the Michelin Red Guide, the oldest and best-known European hotel and restaurant guide, which awards the Michelin stars...
restaurant Noma
Noma (restaurant)
Noma is a two Michelin star restaurant run by chef René Redzepi in Copenhagen, Denmark. The name is an acronym of the two Danish words "nordisk" and "mad" , and the restaurant is known for its reinvention and interpretation of the Nordic Cuisine...
in the Christianshavn
Christianshavn
Christianshavn is an artificial island neighbourhood located in Copenhagen, Denmark. It was founded in the early 17th century by Christian IV as part of his extension of the fortifications of Copenhagen. Originally it was laid out as an independent privileged merchant's town with inspiration from...
neighborhood of Copenhagen, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. His restaurant was voted the best restaurant in the world in 2010 San Pellegrino Awards and 2011. Redzepi is noted for his work for the reinvention and refinement of a new Nordic cuisine and food that is characterized by inventiveness and clean flavors.
Redzepi is the son of an ethnic Albanian
Albanians in the Republic of Macedonia
Albanians are the largest ethnic minority in the Republic of Macedonia. Of the 2,022,547 citizens of Macedonia, 509,083, or 25%, are Albanian according to the latest national census in 2002. The Albanian minority lives mostly in the north-western part of the country...
father, who migrated to Denmark from what was then Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
(now Republic of Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
) and a Danish
Danes
Danish people or Danes are the nation and ethnic group that is native to Denmark, and who speak Danish.The first mention of Danes within the Danish territory is on the Jelling Rune Stone which mentions how Harald Bluetooth converted the Danes to Christianity in the 10th century...
mother.
Biography
René Redzepi was born on 16 December 1977 in Copenhagen to a Danish mother and an AlbanianAlbanians in the Republic of Macedonia
Albanians are the largest ethnic minority in the Republic of Macedonia. Of the 2,022,547 citizens of Macedonia, 509,083, or 25%, are Albanian according to the latest national census in 2002. The Albanian minority lives mostly in the north-western part of the country...
father who had immigrated to Denmark a few years earlier. He moved to Macedonia with his family and lived there until the start of the wars of independence in the former Yugoslavia. After choosing a culinary career at random, he trained at the restaurant Pierre André which had just opened in Copenhagen and soon received a Michelin star. He first visited El Bulli
El Bulli
elBulli was a Michelin 3-star restaurant near the town of Roses, Catalonia, Spain, run by chef Ferran Adrià. The small restaurant overlooked Cala Montjoi, a bay on Catalonia's Costa Brava, and has been described as "the most imaginative generator of haute cuisine on the planet" and does a great...
as a guest in 1998 and subsequently worked there during the 1999 season. Back in Copenhagen he started working at Kong Hans Kælder
Kong Hans Kælder
Kong Hans Kælder is a one Michelin star restaurant in Copenhagen, Denmark. The cuisine is mainly classical French with contemporary Nordic influences...
which had been one of the city's leading gourmet restaurants since the mid 1970s. In 2001 he spent four months working at French Laundry
French Laundry
The French Laundry is a French restaurant located in Yountville, California, in the Napa Valley. The chef and owner of the French Laundry is Thomas Keller....
but returned to Kong Hans Kælder and Copenhagen.
In December 2002, Redzepi was contacted by Claus Meyer
Claus Meyer
Claus Meyer is a professional chef, co-founder of the restaurant Noma , cookbook author, professor, and a host on New Scandinavian Cooking....
, who had been offered to operate a restaurant at the North Atlantic House
North Atlantic House
North Atlantic House is a cultural centre located on the harbour front in Copenhagen, Denmark, dedicated to preserve, promote and communicate culture and art from the North Atlantic area. It is made as a cooperation between Denmark, Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands and includes three...
, a former 18th century warehouse which was being turned into a cultural centre for the North Atlantic region. Noma was opened in 2004 with Redzepi as the head chef.
Awards and accolades
- 2006: 33rd Best Restaurant in the World Restaurant Top 50|Restaurant magazine Top 50
- 2007: 15th Best Restaurant in the World Restaurant Top 50|Restaurant magazine Top 50
- 2008: 10th Best Restaurant in the World Restaurant Top 50|Restaurant magazine Top 50
- 2008: Users of the website TripAdvisorTripAdvisorTripAdvisor.com is a travel website that assists customers in gathering travel information, posting reviews and opinions of travel-related content and engaging in interactive travel forums. It is part of the TripAdvisor Media Group, operated by Expedia, Inc. TripAdvisor is a pioneer of...
rated Noma as the best restaurant in the world. - 2008: named International Chef of the Year at the Lo Mejor de la Gastronomia conference in San SebastianSan SebastiánDonostia-San Sebastián is a city and municipality located in the north of Spain, in the coast of the Bay of Biscay and 20 km away from the French border. The city is the capital of Gipuzkoa, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. The municipality’s population is 186,122 , and its...
, Spain - Since 2008: Michelin GuideMichelin GuideThe Michelin Guide is a series of annual guide books published by Michelin for over a dozen countries. The term normally refers to the Michelin Red Guide, the oldest and best-known European hotel and restaurant guide, which awards the Michelin stars...
, two stars - 2009: 3rd-best restaurant in the world Restaurant magazine Top 50Restaurant (magazine) Top 50The S.Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants is produced by British magazine Restaurant based on a poll of international chefs, restaurateurs, gourmands and restaurant critics. In addition to the main ranking, the Chef's Choice list is based on votes from the fifty head chefs from the restaurants...
and "Chefs' Choice" - 2010: Best Restaurant in the World
- 2011: Best Restaurant in the World
Books
- 2006: Noma Nordic Cuisine, Publisher: Politikens Forlag
- 2010: Noma: Time and Place in Nordic Cuisine, Publisher: Phaidon, Berlin ISBN 978-3-7148-5903-3