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, can be closing, there was a flurry of conjecture about what the meals world would appear like with out it — and what Redzepi might need up his sleeve.

Seems, he is been engaged on one thing simply as formidable: 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 study paprika, earlier than clocking in for a shift at a Louisiana hot-sauce manufacturing facility and sweating via a fiery meal at a tiny restaurant in Bangkok.

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

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

Journey + Leisure: How did the present come to be? Is that this one thing you have been enthusiastic about for some time?  

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

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

It was. We had an inventory of 150 components that each one had a narrative to be informed. So we figured, why do not we method it differently and ask, What are a number of the matters that we need to speak about? 

We knew that we wished 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 can be unbelievable. As an example — I will not say an excessive amount of about it — however we have performed plenty of analysis on vanilla. There are some mind-blowing tales inside vanilla that folks do not learn about.  

There is a give attention to sustainability and meals programs, and also you make some extent of unpacking provide chains and speaking about biodiversity. Quite a lot of meals reveals go away this out. Why was that essential? 

Virtually all the things that is mistaken on this planet might be informed via meals as properly. We’re simply attempting to tell you, whereas entertaining you, that this world of meals is crucial factor on planet earth.

The present was all the time meant to be: Here is a tuna, and there’s a method to catch it that is been performed for 3,000 years virtually the identical method. However what has modified is that now, as a substitute of being eaten regionally, it goes into the stomach of a airplane transported to Japan, the place it is then lower into items. Then a few of it results in 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 fashionable meals system. That’s how we eat more often than not. 

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

Touring with meals as your prism is essentially the most superb method, in my view. The heartbeat of a metropolis is usually discovered on the markets and the way folks eat and the way they dine out. And I believe increasingly that is taking place as a result of, in a really digitalized world, meals continues to be an analog factor. You gotta sit and style. 

After I journey for myself, I journey very, very gradual. I truly journey and stroll. I’ve walked the Camino de Santiago 3 times — 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 plenty of time in small mountain villages the place there are principally cows, and also you keep in any person’s house, and also you eat what they eat. When you discuss to folks, they are going to 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 this planet the place I actually discover a lot pleasure and inspiration: I discover it in Japan, I discover it in Mexico, I discover it significantly in northern elements of Spain. I additionally actually, actually love Turkey — Istanbul, significantly, 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 position, stopping in, doing a little analysis. Nothing can beat these moments — to really go into this little inn the place there is a grandmother and a son working collectively, and so they make a tortilla like they’ve been for 80 years, and so they simply went outdoors to select 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 true 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.