Fans of The Menu are jokingly blaming the film for the closure of the “world’s best restaurant”.
The New York Times reported today (January 9) that Noma, the fine-dining establishment in Copenhagen, would be closing its doors after two decades in business.
“The decision comes as Noma and many other elite restaurants are facing scrutiny of their treatment of the workers, many of them paid poorly or not at all, who produce and serve these exquisite dishes,” the report reads.
“The style of fine dining that Noma helped create and promote around the globe — wildly innovative, labor-intensive and vastly expensive — may be undergoing a sustainability crisis.”
Noma chef and founder René Redzepi told the publication that the restaurant will be turned into a “full-time food laboratory,” and added: “We have to completely rethink the industry. This is simply too hard.”
After the news broke, many pointed out that restaurant satire The Menu, which takes place in a fine-dining restaurant on an island before things turn awry, was released yesterday (January 8) on HBO Max in the US.
“On the heels of The Menu coming out, this is almost satirical, but can’t believe Noma will finally be closed,” one person tweeted.
On the heels of The Menu coming out, this is almost satirical, but can't believe Noma will finally be closed https://t.co/KUFFp9kdFa
— vania 🪩 (@vaniaavr) January 9, 2023
Another Twitter user wrote: “am I the only one who thinks it’s low key sus that Noma announced shutting shop this soon after the menu came out?”
am I the only one who thinks it's low key sus that Noma announced shutting shop this soon after the menu came out?
— ….!? (@pageafternext) January 9, 2023
Take a look at some more reactions here:
omg noma chefs watched THE MENU (2022) https://t.co/qHabQFaYk5
— shafiq.jpeg 🖼️ (@shafiqjpeg) January 9, 2023
Wow Noma is really giving The Menu which I believe the film is inspired from. https://t.co/jCZwW80702
— Emi Eleode (@EmiEleode) January 9, 2023
In light of Noma's closing announcement – I CANNOT see The Menu as any other restaurant.
The isolated island setting…
— @SFUrbanist@sfba.social (@SFUrbanist) January 9, 2023
The Menu comes out on HBO Max and a day later the Noma guy announces he is closing the restaurant lol
— This is your brain on frogs (@DrFroglove) January 9, 2023
watches "the menu" once https://t.co/NyD2xht6x1
— Jon Christian (@Jon_Christian) January 9, 2023
An official synopsis for The Menu says the film “focuses on a young couple who visits an exclusive destination restaurant on a remote island where the acclaimed chef has prepared a lavish tasting menu, along with some shocking surprise”.
The film stars Ralph Fiennes, Hong Chau, Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicholas Hoult, and is currently streaming on Disney+ in the UK.