The place to Watch Noma Chef René Redzepi’s New TV Present, “Omnivore”

When René Redzepi introduced final yr that Noma, his much-rhapsodized, three Michelin-starred restaurant in Copenhagen, could be closing, there was a flurry of conjecture about what the meals world would appear to be with out it — and what Redzepi might need up his sleeve.

Seems, he is been engaged on one thing simply as bold: a brand new docuseries, Omnivore, which premieres July 19 on Apple TV+. Omnivore, co-created with meals author (and Journey + Leisure contributor) Matt Goulding, visits dozens of nations over the course of its eight installments. Every episode focuses on one ingredient — corn, for instance, or espresso — from harvest and manufacturing to processing to cooking.

With Redzepi as narrator, the screentime is devoted to fishers, farmers, meals staff, and their prized merchandise. The hypersaline Lake Assal, in Djibouti, is the setting for the opening scene of the episode “Salt,” which additionally visits France, Korea, and Peru. “Chile” takes us to Serbia to find out about paprika, earlier than clocking in for a shift at a Louisiana hot-sauce manufacturing facility and sweating by a fiery meal at a tiny restaurant in Bangkok.

However with consideration paid to subjects like local weather change and the impression of business agriculture, Omnivore additionally reminds the viewer that every part we eat matches into a bigger, more and more advanced system — and that our expansive, scrumptious earth can be an more and more susceptible one.

T+L spoke with Redzepi prematurely of the sequence launch.

Journey + Leisure: How did the present come to be? Is that this one thing you’ve got been desirous about for some time?  

René Redzepi: It is greater than a decade within the making. We had been engaged on one thing in an identical vein as what Omnivore ended up being, telling the tales of who we’re by some choose components. After which throughout Covid, so many selections had been made for Noma and for myself. And one among them was, now it is actually time for us. 

We’re curious the way you selected the components and determined the place on the planet they’d take you. Was {that a} lengthy course of to slim down?  

It was. We had a listing of 150 components that every one had a narrative to be advised. So we figured, why do not we strategy it another way and ask, What are a few of the subjects that we need to speak about? 

We knew that we needed a narrative on love, our love relationship with meals. And that turned the chile episode. It’s simply so thoughts boggling that we simply eat them for ache and pleasure. However now we have so many different tales which are unimaginable. As an example — I will not say an excessive amount of about it — however we have executed a variety of analysis on vanilla. There are some mind-blowing tales inside vanilla that folks do not learn about.  

There is a deal with sustainability and meals techniques, and also you make some extent of unpacking provide chains and speaking about biodiversity. Numerous meals reveals go away this out. Why was that essential? 

Nearly every part that is improper on the planet may be advised by meals as nicely. We’re simply attempting to tell you, whereas entertaining you, that this world of meals is an important factor on planet earth.

The present was all the time meant to be: Here is a tuna, and there’s a solution to catch it that is been executed for 3,000 years virtually the identical means. However what has modified is that now, as an alternative of being eaten regionally, it goes into the stomach of a aircraft transported to Japan, the place it is then minimize into items. Then a few of it leads to LA in some restaurant in Venice Seaside, on a Caesar salad. Humorous sufficient, a few of it even ends again the place it got here from as canned tuna.

That’s the trendy meals system. That’s how we eat more often than not. 

Many individuals are excited about connecting with meals tradition when touring. What would you say to somebody eager to discover that?  

Touring with meals as your prism is essentially the most superb means, in my view. The heart beat of a metropolis is commonly discovered on the markets and the way individuals eat and the way they dine out. And I feel an increasing number of that is occurring as a result of, in a really digitalized world, meals remains to be an analog factor. You gotta sit and style. 

Once I journey for myself, I journey very, very sluggish. I truly journey and stroll. I’ve walked the Camino de Santiago thrice — the final one I did was alongside the coast of the Basque Nation, Cantabria, Asturias, and into Galicia. That was 500 some miles. So I spent a variety of time in small mountain villages the place there are largely cows, and also you keep in any individual’s house, and also you eat what they eat. When you discuss to individuals, they’ll all the time level you into one thing superb. They all the time know somebody. 

Any favourite locations that you end up returning to?

I’ve my particular locations on the planet the place I actually discover a lot pleasure and inspiration: I discover it in Japan, I discover it in Mexico, I discover it notably in northern elements of Spain. I additionally actually, actually love Turkey — Istanbul, notably, is an enormous favourite of mine. My household are of Albanian heritage, so it is virtually the identical meals. And the nation of Georgia has mind-blowing meals, mind-blowing wine. 

Subsequent, I’ll the Basque Nation. I am spending 14 days simply strolling from place to put, stopping in, performing some analysis. Nothing can beat these moments — to really go into this little inn the place there is a grandmother and a son working collectively, they usually make a tortilla like they’ve been for 80 years, they usually simply went exterior to choose the chives within the morning to sprinkle on, and it is cooked over the wood-fired oven. A slight trace of smoke. Eggs are runny as you chop into them. These are the actual experiences, in my view. Not a flowery restaurant with caviar. 

Omnivore debuts on Apple TV+ on Friday, July 19. This interview has been edited for size and readability.