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Personal Essay

Opinion: Is Canceling Noma L.A. Louder Than Reforming the Systems That Made It?

Reflections from an editor caught In the crossfire.

4:59 PM PDT on March 17, 2026

A Noma mosh pit. Art by Ivan Ehlers for L.A. TACO.

A Noma mosh pit. Art by Ivan Ehlers for L.A. TACO.

Two nights ago, I woke up at 4 a.m. Racing through my mind was one thought:

Can you accurately say that Noma is “columbising and extracting nopales” to serve on their menu if their head chef for the last two years is a chilango from Mexico City and they are sourcing their masa directly from two of L.A.’s best tortillerías? Kernel of Truth Organics and Komal?” 

This Noma controversy has shaken up the international food media world, and dozens of people have personally hit me up about it.