This week on The LA Food Podcast, Luca Servodio and Karen Palmer break down the biggest restaurant industry story of the year: the escalating Noma scandal surrounding chef René Redzepi and the $1,500-per-person Noma pop-up in Los Angeles.

Following a bombshell New York Times investigation into abuse and labor practices at Noma, protests erupted in LA led by former Noma fermentation director Jason Ignacio White. Sponsors pulled out, demonstrators gathered outside the Paramour Estate, and Redzepi ultimately announced he would step away from Noma’s day-to-day operations. Luca and Karen unpack what happened, why this moment hit differently than past allegations, and what it means for the future of fine dining, kitchen culture, and restaurant labor.

Before diving into the controversy, the hosts share their latest LA restaurant recs and recent eats, including meals at Republique, 88 Club, Bell’s in Los Alamos, Pinyon in Ojai, and more.

Then in Part 2, you’ll hear audio from the Noma protest press conference in Los Angeles, where organizers laid out demands including leadership change, worker reparations, and broader industry reforms addressing unpaid labor and abusive kitchen culture.

All that, plus Chef’s Kiss / Big Miss covering LA Times popcorn nostalgia, the rise of the San Luis Obispo Coast wine region, Expo West’s protein-everything food trend, and drama inside the world of food media.

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