Based in Copenhagen, Denmark, Noma is a world-renowned establishment with three Michelin stars. In the 2010s, it was considered the best restaurant in the world four times in the “World’s 50 Best” ranking. It regained its crown once again in 2021.
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If the famous Danish restaurant decided to contact Gastrobar Noma, it was not to congratulate it on its opening. But rather because its new name was problematic: “We, a small player and them, a big name so far from home. I didn’t think it would be a problem. Maybe they heard about us through social media.”explains the owner of the Kortrijk restaurant Jonathan Beke to the Nieuwsblad.
The latter would have preferred to be warned before opening his restaurant that he would not be able to keep his name. Advised by his lawyer, he urgently had to find a new name: “Noma sounded good so we chose ‘Nomma by Maddox’, with a nod to the name of our other establishment. The Copenhagen restaurant agreed.”
However, this compulsory name change cost Jonathan Beke dearly: “We had to adapt our name on the facade, as well as our glasses, our menus and our website. There are a lot of things to change.”
