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Noma will open a pop-up in Kyoto, Japan next spring

Often named as one of the world’s best restaurants, Noma has revealed it will stage a pop-up restaurant in Kyoto from March to May 2023.

René Redzepi and his team studying in a Japanese market.

Noma Kyoto will run from 15 March to 20 May 2023 and is a collaboration between Noma and hospitality agency Atelier Ace. As part of the plan, the eatery will be open Wednesday through Saturday with lunch and dinner seatings available every day.

Speaking about the move, René Redzepi, the chef and co-owner of the establishment, shared his personal story in Japan. He first visited the country many years ago to study food culture, noting how it was a mind-blowing trip full of new impressions and sensations, especially when he first experienced the traditional tea ceremony and recalled followed all the many rituals and sitting for hours in awkward positions. But, while pondering why Japanese people were paying so much attention for a cup of tea, he slowly realised that the practice alludes to the “art of giving meaning to seemingly unimportant moments, and to discover what can grow from these moments when set with intention and dedication”.

Talking of his journey, he divulged how he learned that this ceremony, once only focused on tea, over time started to include small plates of food and noted how, with refinement this has now evolved into a kaiseki meal – a selection of dishes prepared with incredible thought and consideration to reflect a particular season.

In this coming pop-up, Redzepi shows the ambition of using a Western tasting menu to reflect the seasonality of Kyoto. In the Kyoto menu, the culinary team will source ingredients from local farmers, hunters, fishmongers, and foragers and will work very closely with this local network of suppliers. Even though menu will reflect the sakura season in Kyoto, he won’t regard Noma Kyoto as a Japanese restaurant.

A group of 95 people, from apprentices to owners, will set off to create this brand new experience in Kyoto and Redzepi forecasts a new chapter for Noma will unfold in 2024.

Reservations for Noma Kyoto will be released on 7 November at 1pm CET to Noma’s newsletter subscribers. The reservations are available only as a prepaid package including menu, beverage pairing, water and tea/coffee. The price of the menu and beverage package is €775 + 10% service charge per person.

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