More proof woke is dead: Plant-based NYC restaurant ditches costly vegan menu

Posted on by Constitutional Nobody

An acclaimed New York City restaurant has abandoned its plant-based experiment after four years, finding that it took too much green to go green in the industry.

Eleven Madison Park revamped its menu in 2021 with an all-vegan selection, but chef Daniel Humm now admits there is no way to sustain the swap, telling The New York Times that to do so excludes some diners, never mind the financial costs for the establishment that became the first all-vegan restaurant to garner three Michelin stars.

“I very much believed in the all-in approach, but I didn’t realize that we would exclude people,” Humm said. “I have some anxiety that people are going to say, ‘Oh, he’s a hypocrite,’ but I know that the best way to continue to champion plant-based cooking is to let everyone participate around the table.”

He noted the decrease in bookings and wine sales that led to the decision to ditch the vegan menu in order to pay the bills.

“It’s hard to get 30 people for a corporate dinner to come to a plant-based restaurant,” he told the Times, adding, “For wine aficionados, grand cru goes with meat.”

In an announcement on the restaurant’s website, Humm noted that despite the initial success, they have been “listening to our guests’ feedback.”

“It became clear that while we had built something meaningful, we had also unintentionally kept people out. This is the opposite of what we believe hospitality to be,” he wrote. “The all-or-nothing approach was necessary to develop our expertise, but that, too, comes with its own limitations. As a chef, I want to continue to open paths, not close them.”

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“Starting October 14th, we will integrate our new language into a menu that embraces choice. We will offer a plant-based menu, of course, but also select animal products for certain dishes — fish, meat, and yes, our honey-lavender-glazed duck,” Humm announced.

“Eating together is the essence of who we are, and I’ve learned that for me to truly champion plant-based cooking, I need to create an environment where everyone feels welcome around the table,” he added.

According to The New York Times:

The revamped menu, which begins Oct. 14, will still offer seven to nine courses for $365, and will largely be prepared without animal products. Diners will have a few opportunities along the way to opt for meat or seafood instead of vegetables. That might mean an oyster for a first course, a small serving of lobster or the dry-aged duck lacquered with lavender honey that has long been singled out by critics as a standout. Mr. Humm is also thinking of adding a chicken dish. Diners who want an all-vegan meal can still have one.

 

But the business decision has, not surprisingly, angered the non-meat eaters who called out the chef and the expensive restaurant.

Many applauded the move and were not surprised, though there were criticisms of the exorbitant prices.

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Author: Frieda Powers

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