While Noma in Copenhagen is closing its doors for good at its current address these days, Pierre Deschamps’ documentary, which is well worth seeing, is finally being released in German cinemas. After a stopover in Mexico, the new location will open in Copenhagen’s Christiana district in late summer.
Until then, it is up to this film to remind us of the dishes of the Noma. It is an intense film that traces in chronological images the history of this extraordinary restaurant. Once derided as a seal fucker, René Redzepi not only repeatedly led his team to first place in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, he is also without question one of the triggers of the fabulous boom surrounding Nordic Cusine.
Director Pierre Deschamps gets up close and personal with the celebrity chef and portrays him as a permanently cursing kitchen mozart full of contradictions. This is rousing and very entertaining – unfortunately, however, it remains a very superficial view of many of the topics touched on. More depth in terms of content would also be desirable, especially in culinary terms. Especially because Noma has so much to offer in terms of experience and research in this regard.
If you leave this slight criticism aside, you are still left with a film that is absolutely worth seeing, and not just for foodies. The continuity in which René Redzepi let himself be accompanied over four years is admirable and so certainly unique. Even during what was perhaps the most difficult phase of the Noma, when a norovirus laid 63 guests flat in one fell swoop, the cameras were allowed to continue rolling.
In German cinemas from February 9, 2017.
