With Noma closing in Copenhagen, UAE chefs react to new plans for restaurant's future

Often hailed as one of the best restaurants in the world, Noma in Copenhagen announced it will shut down operations at the end of next year, citing financial and emotional pressure. However, Danish restaurateur Rene Redzepi has no plans of hanging up his chef’s hat just yet.

Redzepi promises to introduce Noma 3.0 in 2025, in the form of a “pioneering test kitchen dedicated to the work of food innovation and the development of new flavours”.

This, according to F&B industry experts, is exciting and revolutionary. “We are very excited for the new iteration of Noma,” William Drew tells The National. Drew is the director of content at 50 Best, the award-conferring body that oversees restaurant ranking lists around the globe, including one for the Mena region. Noma has been named the top venue in the annual World’s 50 Best Restaurants list five times.

"Since its opening, Noma has constantly evolved. After topping the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list four times, it began a journey of exploration with extended pop-ups in different locations around the globe.

“It then reinvented itself in a new location in Copenhagen, with a different structure, dining concept and menu format — and proceeded to top the World’s 50 Best Restaurants ranking once again in 2021.

“At the same time, it has developed complementary projects outside of, but related to, the restaurant itself. Rene Redzepi and his team are so tireless in moving things forward that it’s no surprise to see them seek to reimagine Noma entirely,” adds Drew.

The Copenhagen restaurant is also the rare recipient of three Michelin stars. The restaurant, which opened in 2003, closed its doors temporarily due to the pandemic, only to win its third star when it reopened in 2021. This, says award-winning cookbook author Flavel Monteiro, is proof that “Rene always has something up his sleeve".

"Noma’s upcoming venture means foodies will experience a new wave of haute cuisine, spectacular gastronomy that will be the next trend in the culinary world,” says Monteiro, who was the driving force behind the Jubilee Gastronomy series of Michelin-lauded chefs at Expo 2020 Dubai.

Italian chef Francesco Magro, of The Artisan in Dubai, contests that, despite allegations that Redzepi and Noma are under scrutiny for their reliance on unpaid interns, in fact “the restaurant recently introduced remuneration for internships … one of the few top restaurants in the world doing so".

Yet Magro also agrees that the high levels of pressure faced by chefs can be debilitating. “It is very hard to ensure the highest quality standards within ‘normal’ working hours," he says. "Chefs are working 14 to 16 hours daily. Inflation and the European energy crisis are playing a role in this as well. The cost of manpower is high and the volume of customers is limited. The revenue is not enough for a sustainable environment.”

However, Magro adds: “Rene Redzepi is a pioneer of the hospitality industry. Noma will close, but I’m sure his next concept will be revolutionary. The announced closing is, for me, a way to create hype for this future endeavour.”

Chef Claudio Cardoso, of SLS Dubai Hotel & Residences, offers a different take on the situation, explaining that it's almost essential for chefs who are at the top of their game to rethink and shape the future of food.

"Chefs and restaurants with a certain platform need to become the pioneers of change," he says. "Small wins and positive changes toward food can transform the culinary landscape.

"Talking about sustainability, the planet is the only home we will have. To put it in a simple analogy, a chicken can only produce a certain number of eggs. Noma's team figured that out a long time ago, and it's time more chefs understand this and drive new trends that are more viable for the planet."

"The acceptance of Noma 3.0 will be the same as all its past evolutions and this will be as impactful," adds Cardoso. "Their forward thinking allows them to convey the message better to bigger audiences, and so initiate the needed change."

And were Noma 3.0 not to materialise as expected? Chef Akmal Anuar, of Michelin-starred restaurant 11 Woodfire, believes that would still not dilute the influence of Noma.

"Noma introduced Nordic cuisine on a global stage and impacted almost every other progressive restaurant," he says. "The team’s approach to being natural — from chefs in T-shirts to foraging for ingredients through the landscape of Scandinavia — defined modern gastronomy.

"It allowed diners to explore and eat what no one ever thought of using. This decision to close at their high is not to be treated as a shame, but a testament to say ‘enough’ or ‘it’s time move on’. Noma will always be in the history books for the future to refer to.”

Scroll through the gallery below to see the venues part of the debut Mena's 50 Best Restaurants list

Key facilities

Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
Premier League-standard football pitch
400m Olympic running track
NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
600-seat auditorium
Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
Specialist robotics and science laboratories
AR and VR-enabled learning centres
Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills

Trump v Khan

2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US

2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks

2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit

2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”

2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency

July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”

Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.

Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”

Who is Mohammed Al Halbousi?

The new speaker of Iraq’s parliament Mohammed Al Halbousi is the youngest person ever to serve in the role.

The 37-year-old was born in Al Garmah in Anbar and studied civil engineering in Baghdad before going into business. His development company Al Hadeed undertook reconstruction contracts rebuilding parts of Fallujah’s infrastructure.

He entered parliament in 2014 and served as a member of the human rights and finance committees until 2017. In August last year he was appointed governor of Anbar, a role in which he has struggled to secure funding to provide services in the war-damaged province and to secure the withdrawal of Shia militias. He relinquished the post when he was sworn in as a member of parliament on September 3.

He is a member of the Al Hal Sunni-based political party and the Sunni-led Coalition of Iraqi Forces, which is Iraq’s largest Sunni alliance with 37 seats from the May 12 election.

He maintains good relations with former Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki’s State of Law Coaliton, Hadi Al Amiri’s Badr Organisation and Iranian officials.

Getting there

The flights

Flydubai operates up to seven flights a week to Helsinki. Return fares to Helsinki from Dubai start from Dh1,545 in Economy and Dh7,560 in Business Class.

The stay

Golden Crown Igloos in Levi offer stays from Dh1,215 per person per night for a superior igloo; www.leviniglut.net

Panorama Hotel in Levi is conveniently located at the top of Levi fell, a short walk from the gondola. Stays start from Dh292 per night based on two people sharing; www. golevi.fi/en/accommodation/hotel-levi-panorama

Arctic Treehouse Hotel in Rovaniemi offers stays from Dh1,379 per night based on two people sharing; www.arctictreehousehotel.com

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.

8. Pillar 2 implementation

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

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Race 3

Produced: Salman Khan Films and Tips Films
Director: Remo D’Souza
Cast: Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, Jacqueline Fernandez, Bobby Deol, Daisy Shah, Saqib Salem
Rating: 2.5 stars

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