What to expect at Noma Australia

René Redzepi is moving Noma to Australia for a few months. If you are lucky enough to have scored a reservation for this temporary location, don’t expect to see any items like carrots, beets and cabbage that are ubiquitous on the Danish restaurant’s menu, says the award-winning chef.   

Redzepi says he and his staff will forage, just as they do for the Danish Noma, but for ingredients indigenous to Australia. Those ingredients will be flavoured with local spices. “That’s where we found the most unique flavours and also the most fun,” explains the chef. “I mean you don’t want to travel to Australia to work with a carrot or a beet or a cabbage leaf, because we do that every day at home.” What you can expect are unique uses for Australian favourites, like Redzepi’s take on Vegemite.

The Australian popup location follows a well-received Tokyo version last year. Seating is limited, with room in the restaurant for only 56 diners plus a few extras outside, and all available bookings have already been taken. You can, however, sign up to be on the waiting list. If you can’t get in, content yourself with cooking from one of Redzepi’s cookbooks, available at a discount for EYB Members from publisher Phaidon.

Photo of Boiled stone crab and seaweeds from A Work in Progress by René Redzepi