Noma L.A. Pop-up Loses Key Sponsors Before Opening

American Express, Resy, and Blackbird withdraw support for the 16-week dinner series amid allegations of abuse against Noma co-founder René Redzepi.

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Key financial sponsors of Noma's Los Angeles pop-up, including American Express, Resy, and Blackbird, have withdrawn support from the 16-week dinner series just a day before it was set to begin. The move follows reports from former Noma staff detailing allegations of physical, verbal, and psychological abuse primarily executed by the restaurant's co-founder and celebrity chef René Redzepi.

Why it matters

The loss of major sponsors like American Express and Resy, as well as the cancellation of industry-focused nights hosted by Blackbird, deals a significant blow to Noma's L.A. pop-up just before it was set to launch. The allegations against Redzepi have sparked outrage in the local restaurant community and raised questions about accountability and worker protections in the industry.

The details

Representatives for American Express, Resy, and Blackbird confirmed on Tuesday that they are no longer sponsoring the Noma L.A. pop-up. Blackbird, which had planned to host industry members over four nights of the dinner series, canceled all of its seatings. Blackbird's founder said the company cannot 'lean on time elapsed and rehabilitation claims' given the severity of Redzepi's alleged abusive behavior. American Express and Resy are offering refunds to guests who had booked reservations for their card member nights, three of which had already sold out.

  • The Noma L.A. pop-up was scheduled to begin on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
  • The withdrawal of sponsors was first reported on Monday evening, March 10, 2026, the day before the pop-up was set to open.

The players

Noma

A renowned Danish restaurant founded by René Redzepi, known for its innovative Nordic cuisine. Noma was planning a 16-week pop-up series in Los Angeles.

René Redzepi

The co-founder and figurehead of Noma, who has been accused of physical, verbal, and psychological abuse by former staff members.

American Express

A major financial sponsor that had reserved multiple 'card member nights' for the Noma L.A. pop-up, which have now been canceled.

Resy

A restaurant booking platform that was also a sponsor of the Noma L.A. pop-up and is now offering refunds to guests.

Blackbird

A new loyalty-point dining platform that had planned to host industry members over four nights of the Noma L.A. dinner series, but has now canceled all of its seatings.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Rene's past practices, by his own admission, were unacceptable and abhorrent. We cannot lean on time elapsed and rehabilitation claims when these things resurface. Regardless of context, this is highly problematic behavior. Our priority is the restaurant community of Los Angeles and our fight continues to be for them.”

— Ben Leventhal, Founder and Chief Executive, Blackbird (Email statement)

“There are many restaurant workers, small producers and purveyors who will be impacted by this situation. We would like to reduce further damage to the L.A.-based restaurant community and that will dictate how we act.”

— Ben Leventhal, Founder and Chief Executive, Blackbird (Email statement)

What’s next

Protests are planned by former Noma fermentation-lab lead Jason Ignacio White and worker-rights nonprofit One Fair Wage, beginning on Wednesday at the Silver Lake site before Noma L.A.'s first dinner service. The advocacy group and White are calling for wage increases in the hospitality industry, as well as further accountability regarding the allegations against Redzepi.

The takeaway

The withdrawal of key sponsors like American Express, Resy, and Blackbird from the Noma L.A. pop-up highlights the industry's reckoning with allegations of abuse against high-profile chefs. It also underscores the need for greater accountability and worker protections in the hospitality sector, as the fallout from this situation threatens to impact a wider community of restaurant workers, producers, and purveyors in Los Angeles.