Mona Holmes
A giant spotlight is on plant-based dining after Eleven Madison Park chef Daniel Humm made a major announcement earlier this week. When his New York City restaurant reopens on June 10, he’ll introduce a $335 completely vegan tasting menu, and eliminate the unique dishes that made his three-Michelin-starred restaurant a worldwide sensation.
Reactions were mixed: from those who support a chef most well-known for making meat taking a step toward sustainability, to those who questioned its overall impact, and others who wondered aloud about the tastiness of the food. Some felt Humm’s shift isn’t new, as other fine dining chefs made similar leaps into plant-based cooking, including Dominique Crenn, who in 2019 announced she would no longer serve land animals in her restaurants. And while Wolfgang Puck’s menus are not plant-based, the LA-based chef served a mostly vegan menu for the 2020 Oscars with dishes like sweet potato tempura and wild mushroom bolognese.