When talking about fine dining, Eleven Madison Park is one, if not THE restaurant that comes to mind. Located in the heart of New York, the three Michelin star hit suddenly decided to drastically change its cuisine into a completely vegan kitchen.
Veganism is not a new trend, for it has been in society for at least 30 years now. A couple of years back, vegans had limited possibilities in the food industry, and the possibility of having a full course meal in a restaurant that is recognized worldwide was unthinkable. Of course, this is more limited to Western Civilization, as this concept of living without animal flesh goes as far back as the Greeks, the Buddhists, or the Hindu scriptures.
This radical change brought attention and criticism to the restaurant. Times restaurant critic Pete Wells wrote, "The one at Eleven Madison Park tastes like Lemon Pledge and smells like a burning joint.".The famous critic stated that many dishes were attempting to imitate meat and failed.
Eleven Madison Park made a statement for other restaurants and pathed away in the world of fine dining. The reason behind the change is that “the current food system is simply not sustainable, in so many ways.” Daniel Humm, Eleven Madison Park's Head Chef, also added “It became very clear to me that our idea of what luxury is had to change,”. The unexpected transition will be influential for environmental and social reasons for the rest of the world to follow. Ruth Reichl stated, “Mr. Humm’s example could influence the direction of American restaurant cuisine in the years ahead.”.
The swiss owner and chef of the restaurant Daniel Humm has been known for his iconic dry-aged duck breast; the revolutionary shift from world-known meat dishes to 100% plant-based menu was completely unexpected and had a rocky start, but it could revolutionize the food industry.
Bibliography
Anderson, B. & Gross, J. (2021, May 3) The New Menu at Eleven Madison Park Will Be Meatless. [Photograph] New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/03/dining/eleven-madison-park-vegan-menu.html
Eleven Madison Park. (n.d.) Eleven Madison Park. https://www.elevenmadisonpark.com/
Sutton, R. (2021, September 1) Eleven Madison Park Isn’t Ready to Be a World-Class Vegan Restaurant. New York Eater. https://ny.eater.com/22650875/eleven-madison-park-review-vegan-menu-dishes-price-2021
He, G. (n.d.) How to Eat in Eleven Madison Park’s ‘Secret Meat Room’. [Photograph] New York Grub Street. https://www.grubstreet.com/2021/09/eleven-madison-park-secret-beef-room.html
Wells, P. (2021, September 28) Eleven Madison Park Explores the Plant Kingdom’s Uncanny Valley. New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/28/dining/eleven-madison-park-restaurant-review-plant-based.html
Yakas, B. (2021, September 28) Extra Extra: Pete Wells’ Review Of Eleven Madison Park’s Vegan Menu Is A Masterful Takedown. The Gothamishttps://gothamist.com/arts-entertainment/extra-extra-dog-fetch-lifehack