Eleven Madison Park goes vegan

[gfweb]

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/one-of-nycs-and-the-worlds-top-restaurants-to-go-totally-meat-free/3032729/

 

Can they survive with this? They dare not charge the same for vegetables as top-of-the-line proteins. Would their margin be the same...who knows?

 

Its a less attractive destination for me now.

Edited May 3, 2021 by Smithy
Corrected title spelling (log)

[Anna N]

When a restaurant of this calibre decides to go vegan the knee-jerk reaction seems inappropriate. But I can’t help it! Still it will be interesting to follow this and see how things evolve. 

[heidih]

Should be interesting. "Milk & honey for coffee and tea"??? So many plant milks and sugar is plant based - why honey. Splitting hairs maybe but odd to me.

[blue_dolphin]

I'm listening to today's episode of NPR's How I Built This -  Eleven Madison Park: Daniel Humm 

[cdh]

Showcasing just how good vegan can be might be a worthwhile endeavour. An old friend of mine has been vegan for self-preservation reasons for as long as I've known him... and he has very very fond memories of Gray Kunz cooking for him at Lespinasse and how transcendent it was.  I sort of regret missing that particular dinner with those friends.  I'd love to hear what a kitchen like that can do with all its focus on getting the maximum flavor out of plants and plant adjacent stuff. 

[weinoo]

1 hour ago, gfweb said:

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/one-of-nycs-and-the-worlds-top-restaurants-to-go-totally-meat-free/3032729/

 

Can they survive with this? They dare not charge the same for vegetables as top-of-the-line proteins. Would their margin be the same...who knows?

 

Its a less attractive destination for me now.

 

I think they're charging the same.

[gfweb]

2 minutes ago, weinoo said:

 

I think they're charging the same.

That makes decision making a lot easier.

[patti]

1 hour ago, cdh said:

...and plant adjacent stuff. 

I hear that cows are often adjacent to plants. 

[dcarch]

2 hours ago, weinoo said:

 

I think they're charging the same.

 

Or may be more.

A restaurant like 11 Mad, it all about rent costs, and labor costs, ----They may have to use a lot more truffles for the new menu.

 

dcarch

[Anna N]

The Washington Post reports:

 

“Adam Davidson, writing for the Wall Street Journal, sampled some dishes from Eleven Madison Park’s new menu and was impressed, particularly by the “amaranth seed and sweet peas served with a creamy fermented almond cream and pea-miso purée.”

“The moment I tasted it, I laughed, turned to Humm and said, ‘This is going to work,’” Davidson wrote.”

 

I have a fairly good idea how lobster poached in butter will taste. . I have no clue how amaranth seed or fermented almond cream will taste. This is never going to be a real issue for me but for someone who is being asked to drop 300 or more dollars on a meal, it could matter a lot.

[weinoo]

1 hour ago, dcarch said:

 

Or may be more.

A restaurant like 11 Mad, it all about rent costs, and labor costs, ----They may have to use a lot more truffles for the new menu.

 

dcarch

 

I would expect the use of a fair amount of "plant-based" expensive stuff, for sure. God knows what he's doing to ramps right now - but there weren't any left when I stopped at the Union Square green market this morning.

[cdh]

Fermented stuff... hmmm... So this is going to be a koji umami temple, with all the things kojified?  Veg-charcuiterie, and the rest of Koji Alchemy brought off the page and live to a plate near you?

[pastrygirl]

26 minutes ago, Anna N said:

I have a fairly good idea how lobster poached in butter will taste. . I have no clue how amaranth seed or fermented almond cream will taste. This is never going to be a real issue for me but for someone who is being asked to drop 300 or more dollars on a meal, it could matter a lot.

 

Do you go out to eat things that you already know how they will taste, or do you go to try new things that you trust the chef will make taste good?  I think the tasting menu client is more often the latter.

 

Agree that excepting milk & honey for tea is silly.  Also agree that labor cost will be ridiculous.  Instead of just adding caviar or foie gras to  a dish, they'll have to go to much greater lengths to make it seem special.

[Anna N]

20 minutes ago, pastrygirl said:

Do you go out to eat things that you already know how they will taste, or do you go to try new things that you trust the chef will make taste good?  I think the tasting menu client is more often the latter.

As I said, it will never be an issue for me. I love trying new things but I am never going to drop $300 for that privilege (nor even for butter-poached lobster!) I was just trying to say that I think it’s going to be a hard sell even for those who can afford it. 

[gfweb]

This will be an interesting experiment. I have my doubts, but I hope it goes well for them.

 

If their business is all expense accounts/business entertaining then I bet they'll be fine.  I'd certainly eat there on someone else's credit card.

[weinoo]

Many customers of Eleven Madison Park go once.  They are food tourists. It really isn't for locals, although I've had many a splendid dish - at the bar!

[dcarch]

5 hours ago, heidih said:

Should be interesting. "Milk & honey for coffee and tea"

 

"-----Milk & honey for coffee and tea"

Butter for bread? or margarine ?

 

dcarch

[chromedome]

Well, there seems to be a demand for elevated vegan in NYC (you have to figure if there's demand anywhere, it's there...).

 

There's also big-name precedent, with Ducasse and Passard going at least mostly-veg at some of their restaurants. I own Ducasse's Spoon cookbook, though I'll confess I haven't cooked anything from it.

[FlashJack]

Grant Achatz's Next in Chicago is great. I went there once. Expensive.

 

I left delighted and satisfied. It wouldn't be my first choice but it can be done.

[weinoo]

7 hours ago, FlashJack said:

Grant Achatz's Next in Chicago is great. I went there once. Expensive.

 

I left delighted and satisfied. It wouldn't be my first choice but it can be done.

 

You're the perfect customer for EMP.

[MetsFan5]

I wouldn’t pay that much for a vegan meal. 

[teonzo]

Considering the fanatism of many vegans, getting a reservation there is going to be even harder.

 

 

 

Teo

 

[chromedome]

I'm an omnivore, but I don't consider some form of flesh to be a necessity at every meal.

 

(shrug) It doesn't affect the likelihood of me sliding my knees under a table at EMP, which was already effectively nil.

[Eatmywords]

I see a one time or rare visit statement meal for supporters.   Will they develop a regular set they'll need to sustain?  I remember mostly monied seniors and finance types.  I don't think they're down with zero flesh.  Hope it works out for them.   I'm happy we experienced the full menu.  A great experience.   Curious how the vegan foie is received.

[btbyrd]

This was apparently done in the name of sustainability.

 

Know what's not sustainable?

 

$300 3-star 10-course dinners. 

 

This makes no sense.

 

I think it's a fun idea for a pop-up or for a long-ish change (like a quarter of a year like Next in Chicago). But for a restaurant of this caliber to pivot to full-time vegan for sustainability reasons is laughable. There's nothing sustainable about that extravagant style of dining. And for the record, I've had some wonderful vegan meals so it's not like I'm against fully plant-based cuisine. But if I was in the mood for something like that in NYC, I'd rather spend my money at Dirt Candy.