RESTAURANT NOMA HAS A NEW PARTNER: DISHWASHER ALI SONKO

I was lucky enough to get a table at the world’s most famous restaurant noma in Copenhagen last year. No, I’m not going to bore you with what we had to eat, because sure the food was insane but I think what really did all the magic was the people there.

Family first

It may be embarrassing considering the amount of money I left there, but I can’t remember 2 of the 16 courses we had to eat. But I do remember James (to the left), one of the two restaurant managers who was also attending to our table and open to every question or request we had, even the silliest like “can we have some more bread,please?”. Seriously though, the bread is crazy!

James and Lau (middle) have been rewarded for the hard work and been made partner. I also remember the way the whole staff cheerfully greeted us when we entered the restaurant and how they immediately make you feel like family. A family apparently held together by Ali (right), the dishwasher who has been working at noma for 13 years and has now also been made partner for the new edition. A reward for his endurance and most importantly always cheerful character.

The restaurant closed its doors last week and will reopen later this year at a new location. Chef René Redzepi announced that day  “…It gives me incredible joy to let the world know that our restaurant managers Lau and James, and our dishwasher, Ali, have become partners in noma. This is only the beginning, as we plan to surprise several more of our staff with a piece of the walls that they have chosen to work so hard within. This move is one of the happiest moments of my time at noma…”

And we can’t agree more, it’s the people that make a place as cool and as successful as noma. These guys rock! I’m still hoping to score a table in Tulum but I’m even more exited about the urban farm project at the new place in Copenhagen.

Congratulations to you Ali, James and Lau!

Pictures: @nomacph, @david_zilber, Laura L.P./HdG Photography