Eleven Madison Park goes vegan.
“The modern food system is not sustainable” , the star of the Eleven Madison Park restaurant in New York, Daniel Humm, has written in an emotional letter. After 15 months closed due to the pandemic, the restaurant with three Michelin stars behind it has decided to open looking towards the future of the planet. “It was clear that after everything we went through last year, we couldn't open the same restaurant,” he pointed out.
dishes like lavender honey glazed duck wave butter poached lobster that so many successes have given him have gone down in history, and for now, they will continue for those who want them in their cookbooks.
But,** what has happened in all this time and what has been the reason for this 360º change?** The restaurant closed its doors to the public right at the beginning of the health crisis, but not its kitchens. Daniel Humm and his team worked hard to feed underprivileged families in New York, thanks also to the work of the Rethink Food Foundation.
“What began as an effort to keep our team employed while feeding people in need has turned into one of the most fulfilling jobs of my career. It is a chapter of my life that has been deeply moving and for which I am very grateful. It was clear to me that this work should become a fundamental pillar of our restaurant”.
Daniel Humm has released the news through a letter on his website.
This is another of the most significant changes to Eleven Madison Park. In this sense, the restaurant in its new opening on June 10 proposes a change of perspective looking towards the community.** For each dinner they offer, they commit to giving five meals to New Yorkers with food difficulties. **
“In the middle of last year, when we started to imagine what EMP would be like after the pandemic, to think about food creatively again, we realized that not only the world has changed, but we have also changed... We have always operated with sensitivity to the impact we have on our environment, but it was becoming increasingly clear that the current food system is simply not sustainable, ”the chef underlines in his letter.
These conclusions led them to think that perhaps it was time to turn his menu around, turning their kitchens into a “plant-based” gastronomy laboratory , where no products of animal origin are used.
“Each dish is made with vegetables , both from the land and from the sea, as well as fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, grains and much more. We have worked tirelessly to immerse ourselves in the vegan kitchen . It has been an incredible journey, a time of much learning. We continue to work with local farms that we have deep connections with and with ingredients that we know, but have found new ways to prepare them and bring them to life,” he adds.
The premise was to adapt their dishes and turn them into new creations that are just as tasty . “We are obsessed with making the tastiest vegetable stocks and broths. Our days are spent developing all-vegetable milks, butters and creams. We are exploring fermentation and we understand that time is one of the most precious ingredients.”