New York’s Most Famous Vegan Restaurant Is Reintroducing Meat
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22 hours ago
Eleven Madison Park has announced a controversial change
Four years ago, one of New York’s most acclaimed restaurants, Eleven Madison Park, hit the headlines after announcing it would be going fully vegan. This was a big move for an eatery famous for its duck, lobster and foie gras, but chef-owner Daniel Humm believed it was vital for the environment – and hoped to change attitudes surrounding plant-based fine dining. And in many ways, the change was a success: in 2022, EMP became the first vegan restaurant in the world to secure three Michelin stars. However, this week EMP has declared its vegan era over.
Meat Is Back On The Menu At Eleven Madison Park
From 14 October, EMP will reintroduce select animal products. A fully plant-based menu will still be available, but diners will also be able to order fish and meat – including one of the old signatures, the honey-lavender-glazed duck.
A statement from Humm reads: ‘When we reopened Eleven Madison Park in 2021, emerging from lockdown, we vowed to rebuild differently: craft a meal every bit as transporting as before without a single animal product. The decision was a creative leap and a climate imperative.’
He continues: ‘Over the last five years, with each season and new menu that we’ve been serving, we’ve also been intently listening to our guests’ feedback. It became clear that while we had built something meaningful, we had also unintentionally kept people out. This is the opposite of what we believe hospitality to be.
‘As I approach my 20th anniversary at EMP, I’ve decided it’s time for change again.’
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Humm joined EMP in 2006, going on to buy the business from former owner Danny Meyer in 2011, along with general manager Will Guidara. Together, the duo transformed the venue into one of the city’s most prestigious fine dining spots – and in 2017, it was crowned number one in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards. Two years on, though, Guidara decided to leave EMP, with the pair citing ‘different visions of the company long-term’.
The decision to go vegan came in the wake of the pandemic. EMP was on the brink of bankruptcy – and while it was a scary time for Humm, it also inspired him to take the restaurant in a surprising new direction. He was driven by concerns surrounding the environment as well as animal welfare, but also saw the meat-free switch as an exciting creative experiment. ‘We have always operated with sensitivity to the impact we have on our surroundings,’ he said at the time, ‘but it was becoming ever clearer that the current food system is simply not sustainable, in so many ways.’
In June 2021, EMP reopened with a new menu of pioneering plant-based fare, including Japanese ‘land caviar’ made from dried seeds, sunflower butter, egg-free meringue and ricotta made from almond milk. Reviews were mixed. Some critics were scathing – with the Times’ Pete Wells revealing the restaurant was home to a secret meat room, which reportedly served beef, roast chicken and lobster to private diners – while others lauded Humm’s trailblazing, planet-first approach.
Nonetheless, Humm has decided now it’s time for another change. According to the New York Times, this is in part due to financial struggles: private event bookings at EMP are down since going vegan, along with wine sales (‘for wine aficionados, grand cru goes with meat’). This reflects trends across the board, with a flurry of vegan restaurants in New York closing their doors lately, including the East Village’s Cadence and Modern Love in Brooklyn. Similarly, London’s vegan restaurant scene is dwindling, with the Lewis Hamilton-backed Neat Burger and Deliciously Ella’s Plants by DE and The Vurger Co all shutting up shop in recent years.
Ultimately, Humm’s aim is to make EMP more inclusive. ‘I very much believed in the all-in approach, but I didn’t realise that we would exclude people,’ he said. ‘I have some anxiety that people are going to say, “Oh, he’s a hypocrite,” but I know that the best way to continue to champion plant-based cooking is to let everyone participate around the table.’
The new menu will still offer seven to nine courses for $365.
