I was never in it for the money: Media narratives of celebrity chefs and the gastro-capitalist social entrepreneur

Abstract

This article critically interrogates media coverage of Claus Meyer, Danish gastro-entrepreneur, founder of New Nordic Cuisine, and co-founder of the restaurant noma. The article analyzes how the Danish press has constructed Meyer as an exemplary social entrepreneur on a mission to take on established agro-industrial interests and change the ways we produce and consume food. We argue that uncritical media narratives, that positioned Claus Meyer as the little man who successfully took on the establishment, in fact helped to produce brand value for his company in part by glossing over his close ties to state and corporate interests as well as Meyer’s quite conventional business practices. The media’s portrayal of Meyer as an entrepreneur on a social mission constitutes an uncritical celebration of the social entrepreneur and the marketization of society.