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There have been many high-profile restaurant casualties of the coronavirus crisis, but the closure of René Redzepi and Kristian Baumann’s 108, in Copenhagen, is a sign that no business is safe from the effects of the pandemic.
The restaurant announced that it is to shutter its doors permanently, due to the drastically depleted numbers of tourists visiting Copenhagen. The sister restaurant to the world famous Noma depends on the footfall of visiting guests, can therefore not realistically plan to operate in its current form, and will close at the end of September.
In a statement posted on the restaurant’s Facebook page, the 108 team outlined the reasons for the closure saying it is “no longer economically sustainable to continue to operate 108 in the current location.” The holding company behind 108 will remain in operation, avoiding bankruptcy, and the current partners, including Redzepi, will open another restaurant in its place later in the year. However, current chef and co-owner Baumann will no longer be involved.
In a statement on Instagram, chef Baumann expressed his gratitude for everything the team had achieved at 108.
“I wish to thank every member - past and present - of our incredible team, for helping make 108 a truly special place,” Baumann wrote. “I would not have come so far or achieved so much without you. I also wish to thank our guests and our friends within local and international food media, as well as those at The White Guide, Michelin and World’s 50 Best Restaurants, for their many years of support—I am forever grateful to you all.”
Bauman opened 108 in the original old whaling warehouse space that housed the original Noma after working 19 years in the kitchen of the world’s most acclaimed restaurant. The endeavour was a successful one winning both a Michelin star and a place on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list.
