COPENHAGEN: Noma will set foot in Japan for a second time, this time in the city of Kyoto. The 10-week pop-up will take place between March 15 and May 20 at the Ace Hotel, Kyoto. And the foundations are being set for the transformation of noma as we know it in 2024.
René Redzepi said that for the past two years, they had been studying, travelling and researching the city of Kyoto and the Kansai region, in particular kaiseki cuisine. “This spring, we return to the place where so much of our own journey began.”
René Redzepi, chef of noma, one of the most influential restaurants in the world said it is incredibly inspiring for the team to have the opportunity to explore this unique tradition in the beautiful city of Kyoto during the height of the sakura (cherry blossom) season.
“We cannot wait to pack our bags – a group of 95 people, from apprentices to owners – and live in a new corner of the world, to meet new people and to learn from a different culture and see things from a different point of view,” Redzepi said.
He added that “hopefully, on the other side, we can bring back new perspectives and a clearer vision for how to be noma. This trip is also an opportunity for us to travel as a team and shake off the last 2 and a half years of the pandemic. We need an adventure, one that will prepare us for our next and greatest transformational journey yet – a new chapter for Noma which will unfold in 2024.
Redzepi said he visited Japan many years ago to study food culture. “It was a mind blowing trip full of new impressions and sensations. The most pivotal moment was when I experienced my first tea ceremony. It was a traditional ceremony with many rituals, and as a Westerner sitting for hours in awkward positions I thought to myself: why so much attention for one cup of tea?”
He said that with this question a new world unfolded. “It was a world of Zen Buddhism and Japanese traditions; the art of giving meaning to seemingly unimportant moments, and to discover what can grow from these moments when set with intention and dedication. I learned that this ceremony, once only focused on tea, over time started to include small plates of food. With refinement, this evolved into a kaiseki meal – a selection of dishes prepared with incredible thought and consideration to reflect a particular season. This made me wonder: could the tasting menu we see in the Western world today have its origin in Japan, from the city of Kyoto and kaiseki cuisine? Or put it in a different way—from a cup of tea?”
Originally planned for autumn and winter, the pop-up will coincide with the cherry blossom season, so important and popular in Japan.
Earlier this year, Redzepi had announced that 2023 would be the last year of Noma as we know it. “We have a plan and I cannot wait to share more with you later this year but for now, it is good to know that big changes are happening. We’ve been laying new foundational stones so we can continue to grow as an organisation for the next 20 years,” Redzepi said.
Bookings for the pop-up will be released on November 7 at 1pm (CET) to their newsletter subscribers.
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