For years, Eleven Madison Park in New York City has carried a rare distinction: the only three-Michelin-starred restaurant in the world offering a fully vegan menu. When Chef Daniel Humm made the pivot in 2021, it wasn’t just a menu change—it was a bold statement that plant-based cooking could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the most elite kitchens on the planet.
But in October 2025, the restaurant will change direction again: meat and fish are returning to the menu. Not as main attractions, but as small accents in an otherwise plant-forward tasting experience. The decision has already sent shockwaves through the food world and stirred passionate reactions in the vegan community.
Why Change Course? Follow the Money
For Humm, this isn’t about abandoning his vision—it’s about ensuring survival. The fully vegan format, as stunning as it was, hasn’t proven financially sustainable. While critics and diners offered rave reviews, the economics told a different story. Wine pairings were harder to sell, and convincing large groups to commit to vegan-only menus often proved impossible. As Humm admitted, “It’s tough to persuade a group of 30 executives to go all-in on a plant-based meal.”
The solution: reintroduce meat and seafood in limited form. The spirit of the menu will remain plant-driven, but with just enough flexibility to draw in a wider base of diners.
Still Luxurious, Still Expensive
Don’t expect Eleven Madison Park to suddenly resemble a steakhouse. Its tasting menu will remain firmly in the realm of luxury dining, with a seven-to-nine-course experience priced at an eye-watering $365 (around €312). Even those who request every animal-based dish will still encounter a menu largely built around plants. For Humm, what matters most is evolution, not strict adherence to labels.
What Does This Mean for Vegan Fine Dining?
The move has drawn mixed interpretations. Many saw EMP as proof that vegan cuisine could reign at the highest level of gastronomy. Now, some fear this signals that plant-based fine dining can’t sustain itself at the very peak. Others, though, view it as a natural progression—a way to ensure the restaurant continues inspiring diners rather than closing its doors under ideological weight.
How Does EMP Compare Globally?
- Eleven Madison Park is the only restaurant to have achieved three Michelin stars with a fully vegan menu.
- In the Netherlands, De Nieuwe Winkel in Nijmegen thrives with two Michelin stars as an entirely vegan restaurant.
- Globally, just eight restaurants with one Michelin star serve exclusively vegan menus.
That record shows that sustaining vegan-only fine dining at the very top is still a rarity—demand may not always match ambition.
More Than Food: It’s About Survival
What’s happening at Eleven Madison Park reflects a bigger reality across the restaurant industry. Since the pandemic, many celebrated kitchens have faced the pressure of balancing idealism with financial viability. Visionary menus are inspiring—but can be brutally hard to maintain if they don’t fill enough seats or support the business model. For Humm, the move is about creating enough flexibility to secure the future while preserving the artistry and essence of his cuisine.
The Bottom Line
Bringing back meat and seafood marks a turning point for Eleven Madison Park. It represents both a strategic decision to ensure financial stability and a new attempt to broaden the restaurant’s appeal. For the world of vegan fine dining, it’s a bittersweet shift: one that feels like a retreat to some, and to others, a step toward making plant-forward cuisine more accessible to a wider audience.
What remains clear is this: in high-end dining, ideals are always tested by economics.
What About You?
Do you see this move as a betrayal of vegan fine dining—or as a smart evolution that will keep Eleven Madison Park alive and influential for years to come?