Daniel Humm

Biography

Daniel Humm is the Swiss-born chef who transformed Eleven Madison Park from a reliable brasserie into the world's greatest restaurant — then made the most radical decision in fine dining history by converting it entirely to plant-based cuisine in 2021. Humm arrived in New York from Switzerland in 2006 as executive chef of Eleven Madison Park, and within a decade had earned four Michelin stars, the World's Best Restaurant title (2017), and was widely considered the finest American chef of his generation. His cooking philosophy centered on four principles — delicious, beautiful, creative, and soulful — applied to a succession of tasting menus that celebrated New York's culinary heritage with extraordinary refinement. The plant-based pivot shocked the culinary world; diners and critics questioned whether a restaurant without meat could sustain four Michelin stars. Humm's answer was definitive — EMP reopened to universal acclaim, maintained its Michelin recognition, and proved that the finest cooking in the world need not involve animal products.

Origin Story

Daniel Humm grew up in Zurich, Switzerland, the son of an architect — a creative household where precision and beauty were taken for granted. He left school at fourteen to apprentice in Swiss kitchens, training through the rigorous European brigade system where mistakes were punished with silence and good work was rewarded with slightly less silence. His talent was obvious from the beginning; he earned his first Michelin star at 24 as chef of Gasthaus zum Gupf in the Swiss Alps. But Switzerland felt small. In 2003, he moved to San Francisco, then answered a call from Danny Meyer in New York: come run Eleven Madison Park. When Humm arrived, EMP was a respectable New York brasserie. He saw something else entirely — a room worthy of greatness. He spent the next decade proving he was right.

Signature Dish

Celery Root Slow-Roasted in Pig's Bladder (pre-2021) / Sunflower Seed Risotto (plant-based era)

Achievements

• World's Best Restaurant — Eleven Madison Park (2017)
• Four Michelin Stars at Eleven Madison Park
• First fine dining restaurant of this caliber to convert to plant-based cuisine (2021)
• James Beard Award for Outstanding Chef (2018)
• Author of Eleven Madison Park: The Cookbook and I Love New York

Career Highlights

• Arrived in New York as EMP Executive Chef (2006) — earned 4 Michelin stars by 2012
• Purchased Eleven Madison Park from Danny Meyer (2011)
• Voted World's Best Restaurant by Restaurant Magazine (2017)
• James Beard Outstanding Chef Award (2018)
• Converted EMP to plant-based fine dining (2021) — maintained Michelin recognition

Awards & Honors

• James Beard Award for Outstanding Chef (2018)
• Four Michelin Stars at Eleven Madison Park
• World's Best Restaurant (2017)
• GQ Chef of the Year
• Food & Wine Best New Chef

Legacy & Impact

Daniel Humm's plant-based pivot at Eleven Madison Park was the most consequential decision in fine dining of the decade — proving that sustainability and culinary excellence are not in conflict, and that the world's greatest restaurants have a responsibility to lead on environmental and ethical issues. His work redefined what luxury fine dining can be when stripped of its most expensive ingredients, and his continued Michelin recognition validated plant-based cooking as a serious artistic endeavor rather than a compromise.

Pro Tips

• Every dish should be delicious, beautiful, creative, and soulful — if it lacks any of the four, it is incomplete
• Constraint breeds creativity — removing an ingredient forces you to find something better
• The guest experience is the dish — everything before the food arrives at the table is part of the recipe

Cookbook

Eleven Madison Park: The Cookbook