Daniel Humm
Daniel Humm | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 21, 1976 Switzerland |
| Occupation(s) | Chef, restaurateur, author |
| Years active | 2003–present |
| Known for | Eleven Madison Park, Clemente Bar, Eleven Madison Home, plant-based cuisine |
Daniel Humm (born September 21, 1976) is a Swiss-born chef and proprietor of Daniel Humm Hospitality, the New York-based enterprise responsible for the renowned Eleven Madison Park, Clemente Bar, and the direct-to-consumer lifestyle brand Eleven Madison Home. In September 2024, he was appointed as a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for food education, acknowledging his commitment to promoting sustainable food practices.
Humm relocated to the United States in 2003 to serve as executive chef at Campton Place in San Francisco, where he earned four stars from the San Francisco Chronicle. By 2006, he had taken on the role of executive chef at Eleven Madison Park in New York City. In 2011, together with business partner Will Guidara, he purchased the restaurant from Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group. Eleven Madison Park was honored as the top restaurant on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list in 2017. In October 2024, Humm unveiled Clemente Bar, a cocktail lounge and tasting counter situated on the second floor of Eleven Madison Park.
Career
Throughout Humm’s leadership, both he and Eleven Madison Park have received numerous prestigious honors, including four stars from The New York Times, six awards from the James Beard Foundation (such as Outstanding Chef and Outstanding Restaurant), three Michelin stars, and the distinction of being ranked first on The World's 50 Best Restaurants. In 2011, Humm and Will Guidara acquired Eleven Madison Park from Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group. The following year, they launched NoMad New York, which garnered three stars from The New York Times, one Michelin star, and a James Beard Award. Their expansion continued in 2018 with NoMad Los Angeles, marking their initial venture beyond New York City. In July 2019, Humm and Guidara ended their partnership when Humm bought out Guidara’s share in Eleven Madison Park. Later that year, Humm debuted Davies and Brook at London's iconic Claridge's, his first restaurant outside the United States.
In January 2020, Humm concluded his collaboration with the NoMad hotel group across New York, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas.
As head of Daniel Humm Hospitality, he has authored five culinary books: Eleven Madison Park: The Cookbook, I Love New York: Ingredients and Recipes, The NoMad Cookbook, Eleven Madison Park: The Next Chapter, Eat More Plants, and Eleven Madison Park: The Plant Based Chapter. He is also a co-founder of Rethink Food, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering equitable and sustainable food systems. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when Eleven Madison Park temporarily ceased operations, Humm partnered with Rethink Food to maintain employment for chefs while producing meals for first responders and communities facing food insecurity throughout New York. At its height, Eleven Madison Park was delivering up to 3,000 meals daily to underserved areas in The Bronx and Brooklyn.
The restaurant continues its support by donating surplus ingredients to Rethink Food and contributing a portion of reservation proceeds to the nonprofit.
In fall 2024, Humm introduced Clemente Bar on the second floor of Eleven Madison Park. This cocktail lounge and dining space was developed in partnership with Italian contemporary artist Francesco Clemente, who provided original artworks that adorn the venue.
Plant-based cooking
In November 2021, Humm departed from Claridges after his suggestion to introduce a vegan menu was declined due to concerns about the response from loyal patrons. That same year, he relaunched Eleven Madison Park featuring an entirely plant-based selection. By October 2022, it made history as the first and only plant-based establishment to be awarded three stars in the Michelin Guide, a distinction it maintained through 2023.
Throughout this transformation, Humm maintained a creative journal chronicling his journey into plant-based cuisine, which was subsequently published under the title Eat More Plants. The Netflix docuseries You Are What You Eat: A Twin Experiment, released in January 2024, highlighted Eleven Madison Park and Humm’s transition to plant-focused dining. Early in 2024, he revealed plans for Eleven Madison Park’s inaugural plant-based cookbook, scheduled for publication in November.
Humm attributes his shift toward plant-centric cooking to environmental motivations such as climate change and concerns over overfishing. In September 2024, he was appointed as a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for food education, promoting sustainable food systems alongside the safeguarding of global culinary heritage.
On a personal note, Humm describes himself as "plant-forward" or "pro-planet," focusing on minimizing animal protein intake rather than opposing meat consumption outright.
Awards
James Beard Foundation Awards
- 2016 – Outstanding Service, Eleven Madison Park
- 2014 – Outstanding Bar Program, NoMad New York
- 2012 – Outstanding Chef
- 2010 – Best Chef New York City
- 2008 – Outstanding Wine Service, Eleven Madison Park
The World's 50 Best Restaurants Eleven Madison Park earned "Best of the Best" status after topping the annual list, rendering it ineligible for future rankings.
- 2018 – Ranked 4th
- 2017 – Ranked 1st
- 2016 – Ranked 3rd
- 2015 – Ranked 5th and received the Chef's Choice Award
- 2014 – Ranked 4th
- 2013 – Ranked 5th
- 2012 – Ranked 10th
- 2011 – Ranked 24th
- 2010 – Ranked 50th
- 2017 – Positioned 3rd, The NoMad Bar
- 2016 – Positioned 8th, The NoMad Bar
- 2015 – Positioned 24th, The Elephant Bar at NoMad New York
Michelin
- Eleven Madison Park: Three Stars in 2023, 2022, and consecutively from 2013 to 2018 and earlier years
- NoMad New York: One Star from 2013 through 2018 and prior years
Additional honors
- Winner of The Wall Street Journal Innovator Awards in 2016
- Four Stars from The New York Times for Eleven Madison Park in 2015
- Three Stars from The New York Times for NoMad New York in 2012
- Named among Crain’s New York “40 Under Forty” (Daniel Humm) in 2012
- Forbes Travel Guide Five Stars for Eleven Madison Park in 2010
- Four Stars from The New York Times for Eleven Madison Park in 2009
- Selected as one of Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs (Daniel Humm) in 2005
Books
- 2011: Eleven Madison Park: The Cookbook (Little Brown)
- 2013: I Love New York: Ingredients and Recipes (Ten Speed)
- 2015: The NoMad Cookbook (Ten Speed)
- 2017: Eleven Madison Park: The Next Chapter (Ten Speed)
- 2023: Eat More Plants (Steidl)
- 2024: Eleven Madison Park: The Plant Based Chapter (Little Brown)
In popular culture
The refurbishment of Eleven Madison Park is showcased in the Netflix documentary series 7 Days Out. Additionally, Humm has been featured on programs such as Chef's Table and Top Chef, boosting the brand's exposure across prominent media platforms.