René Redzepi

René Redzepi
René Redzepi
Born	December 16, 1977 (age 48); Copenhagen, Denmark
Occupation(s)	Chef, restaurateur
Years active	1992–present
Known for	Co-proprietor and head chef of Noma

René Redzepi (born 16 December 1977) is a Danish culinary expert and co-proprietor of the acclaimed three-Michelin-starred establishment Noma, situated in the Christianshavn district of Copenhagen, Denmark. His establishment was honored as the world's top restaurant by Restaurant magazine’s World's Best Restaurants list in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, and again in 2021, the same year it earned its third Michelin star. Redzepi is widely acknowledged for pioneering and elevating New Nordic Cuisine, focusing on creativity and pure, distinct flavors. In 2024, he developed and starred in the television series Omnivore, which premiered on Apple TV+.

Early life and education

Born in Copenhagen, Denmark, Redzepi's heritage includes a Danish mother and an Albanian father who immigrated from what is now North Macedonia, formerly part of Yugoslavia. During his childhood, his family relocated to North Macedonia, residing in Tetovo until 1992 amid the conflicts of the Yugoslav Wars. He has reflected on his formative years there as pleasant, living in a rural household shared by multiple generations where their diet was predominantly vegetarian and sourced locally.

Upon returning to Denmark, he maintained strong ties to Macedonia by spending summers there and was raised alongside his twin brother, Kenneth. Both siblings contributed to their family’s income by delivering newspapers. At age 15, Redzepi left secondary school to pursue culinary training alongside a friend, marking the start of his professional journey in cooking.

Career

Following his decision to enter the culinary field, Redzepi undertook four years of training at Pierre André, a Michelin-starred family-run restaurant in Copenhagen. At 19 years old, he gained experience at Le Jardin des Sens located in Southern France.

Redzepi first visited El Bulli as a guest in 1998 and subsequently worked there during the 1999 season.

Returning to Copenhagen, he joined Kong Hans Kælder, a prominent gourmet venue established in the 1970s. In 2001, he spent four months apprenticing under Thomas Keller at The French Laundry in California before heading back to Copenhagen.

In December 2002, at just 24 years old, Claus Meyer invited Redzepi to lead a new dining concept at the North Atlantic House cultural center. Noma debuted in 2004 with Redzepi as its executive chef. The restaurant's name merges the Danish words for Nordic (nordisk) and food (mad).

Redzepi prioritizes sourcing ingredients locally and undertakes extensive research by foraging wild produce—a practice influenced by his Macedonian upbringing where fresh, local food was central. Noma’s offerings are dictated by seasonal availability and employ techniques such as fermentation and dehydration to maximize the use of plants, meats, and seafood.

Occasionally, he has integrated insects into his culinary creations.

Personal life

Redzepi is married to fellow chef Nadine Levy Redzepi, who was raised between Portugal and Denmark. Together they have three daughters.

Awards and accolades

2006: Ranked 33rd Best Restaurant Worldwide by The World's 50 Best Restaurants, Restaurant
2007: Placed 15th Best Restaurant by Restaurant
2008: Achieved 10th Best Restaurant ranking by Restaurant; awarded Best Restaurant globally by TripAdvisor; honored as International Chef of the Year at Lo Mejor de la Gastronomia (San Sebastián, Spain)
Since 2008: Maintained two Michelin stars
2009: Ranked as the 3rd Best Restaurant and received the Chefs' Choice Award from Restaurant
2010–2012: Held title of Best Restaurant Worldwide for three consecutive years according to Restaurant
2012: Included among TIME’s 100 Most Influential People globally
2013: Secured the position of 2nd Best Restaurant by Restaurant
2014: Regained Best Restaurant globally status from Restaurant
2015: Ranked as the 3rd Best Restaurant by Restaurant
2016: Awarded The Catey Awards International Outstanding Achievement; appointed Knight of The Order of the Dannebrog; ranked as the 5th Best Restaurant by Restaurant
2019: Achieved ranking as the 2nd Best Restaurant by Restaurant
2021: Once again named Best Restaurant Worldwide by Restaurant

Filmography

2008: The Great British Menu – featured in one episode: Heston Blumenthal's Dinner at the Gherkin
2008: Noma: A Boiling Point / Noma pa Kogepunktet (television documentary)
2009: MasterChef – appeared in episode #5.32
2010: Three Stars (TV documentary film)
2010: MasterChef: The Professionals – participated in episode #3.16
2010: Noma at Boiling Point (documentary TV movie)
2012: Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations – guest in episode titled Japan: Cook It Raw
2012: The Mind of a Chef – featured across three episodes: Rene, chef, Buddies
2013: La última película (documentary film)
2014: Finding Gaston (documentary)
2015: Noma: My Perfect Storm (documentary film)
2016: Ants on a Shrimp (documentary)
2016: Noma: Australia – appeared in three episodes (#1.1, #1.2, #1.3)
2018: How to Dine at René Redzepi's new noma (Without a Reservation) (short film)
2018: Ugly Delicious – featured in three episodes: Tacos, Homecooking, BBQ
2024: Somebody Feed Phil – guest in one episode set in Kyoto
2024: The Bear – appeared in episode "Tomorrow"
2024: Omnivore (television series)

Books

Redzepi, René; Meyer, Claus; Isager, Ditte (photographer) (2007). Noma: Nordisk Mad. Politiken, Denmark. ISBN 978-87-567-7539-7.
Redzepi, René; Meyer, Claus; Marmorstein, Dan A. (translator); Isager, Ditte (photographs) (2006). Noma: Nordic Cuisine. Politikens Forlag, Denmark. ISBN 978-87-567-8333-0.
Redzepi, René; Isager, Ditte (photographs); Eliasson, Olafur; Skyum-Nielsen, Rune (2010). Noma: Time and Place in Nordic Cuisine. Phaidon, London. ISBN 978-0-7148-5903-3.
Redzepi, René; Ulrich, Lars (2013). René Redzepi: A Work in Progress. Journal, Recipes and Snapshots. Phaidon Press, London. ISBN 978-0-7148-6691-8.

Journals

Redzepi, René; Staszak, Kamilla (2012). "Mój sposób na żurek". Published in Polityka, Warsaw.
Andelman, David A.; Fredrick, Yaffa; Redzepi, René (2015). "The Passion of Food". Appeared in World Policy Journal, Duke University Press.

Documentaries

Redzepi, René; Vorting, Christian (director) (2008). Noma: A Boiling Point / Noma pa Kogepunktet. Danish Broadcasting Corporation, Copenhagen.
Deschamps, Pierre (director); Deschamps, Etta Thompson (producer); Redzepi, René; Meyer, Claus; Adrià, Ferran (2015). Noma: My Perfect Storm. Magnolia Home Entertainment, Los Angeles.

External links

Official Website of René Redzepi