Professional kitchens are unlike most workplaces. The hours are long, the standards are high, and the pressure can be relentless. For those of us who have never worked in one, it is hard to imagine what happens behind the kitchen doors of a world-famous restaurant.
Noma in Copenhagen, led by Chef René Redzepi, has been at the centre of a wider debate about kitchen culture and allegations of workplace mistreatment. Against this backdrop, Chef Prateek Sadhu has shared a different perspective on his time at the restaurant, while Chef Garima Arora has recalled her own experience working there.
Prateek Sadhu Applied To Noma 10 Times
On Table 1 with Vir Sanghvi, Chef Sadhu revealed that he applied to Noma 10 times before securing a stage, which is a short-term placement that allows chefs to learn and gain experience in a professional kitchen.
He described the opportunity as one of the most significant learning experiences of his career, recalling that he was there when Noma was crowned the world’s number one restaurant. “I think I had one of the fantastic experiences and the greatest learning experiences,” he said.
Asked about reports of bullying and physical intimidation at Noma, Sadhu was clear about what he had witnessed. “I didn’t see any bullying, honestly,” he said. He denied experiencing physical aggression himself and said he was not aware of the incidents being discussed.
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For Sadhu, the distinction between demanding work and harassment was important. “I think we misconstrue pressure with harassment,” he said.
Garima Arora Recalls A Tough Kitchen
Chef Garima Arora, who later opened Gaa in Bangkok, has also discussed her time at Noma with Vir Sanghvi. She said the atmosphere described in recent criticism was unlike the one she experienced. While she agreed that the kitchen was tough, she saw that intensity as part of working at the highest level of professional cooking.
“You’re preparing for the Olympics here. I mean, your coach is not going to go easy on you,” she said.
Arora also recalled being one of the only women in the kitchen when she joined. According to her, Redzepi acknowledged this and encouraged her to speak to him if she ever felt uncomfortable. “This is the René I know. This is the chef that I know,” she added.
