Eleven Madison Park Brings Back Meat, Citing a Slump in Wine Sales
Fine dining restaurant Eleven Madison Park is known for its highly technical menu, immaculate hospitality, and extensive beverage program. And four years ago, it became the first three star Michelin restaurant to go completely vegan. But no more.
The shocking menu change was first announced in 2021 when the iconic NYC spot reopened after a 15 month closure sparked by the pandemic. During those months, chef Daniel Humm worked for the nonprofit organization Rethink Food — which he co-founded in 2017 — to help serve free meals to medical workers and other New Yorkers in need. He also spent the time considering the sustainability of the food system and examining the impact certain ingredients might have on the climate and communities. This prompted him to completely rework the menu, omitting luxury ingredients like foie gras to instead focus on thoughtfully sourced, vegan dishes executed at the highest level.
Initial responses to the change were mixed, with some applauding Humm’s stance on our global food system and dedication to sustainability while others wondered how a restaurant could offer a $300-plus tasting menu that’s worth the price tag without any meat. Though the new dishes were met with some positive reviews, The New York Time’s then-critic Pete Wells wasn’t impressed, famously comparing the flavors of one of the plates to Lemon Pledge.
And now, after four and a half years of serving the all-vegan menu — including an equally impressive all-vegan beverage program with feats like a fluffy, towering Ramos Gin Fizz made without eggs or cream — Humm has reflected on that decision.
“Eating together is the essence of who we are, and I’ve learned that to truly champion plant-based cooking, I need to create an environment where everyone feels welcome around the table,” Humm expressed in an Instagram statement posted by Eleven Madison Park.
The revised menu, which goes into effect October 14, will still be primarily plant-based, but will offer the opportunity to add on meat and seafood at various points through the meal, including its famed honey-lavender-glazed duck. Humm hopes that this will make the environment at Eleven Madison Park more inclusive to people looking for all types of experiences — or at least as inclusive as it can be for a $365 tasting menu.
But it appears it could have been more than a desire for culinary advancement driving the decision. According to The New York Times, the financial viability of the menu seemed unsustainable over the past year, with the restaurant not bringing in the income it needed to maintain its talented staff and high-functioning level of innovation.
Two sections of the business that were hit particularly hard by the menu swap were private dining and wine sales. “It’s hard to get 30 people for a corporate dinner to come to a plant-based restaurant,” Humm told The NYT. He also shared that wine sales were down, citing that for wine drinkers, “grand cru goes with meat.”
Though we’re all for some creative red wine and vegetable pairings, it seems like top bottles of Burgundy and Bordeaux might not be able to jump out of the red meat lane just yet. But once again we’re looking forward to seeing how Eleven Madison Park’s menu and beverage pairings evolve in the ever-changing landscape of fine dining.
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