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Eleven Madison Park has set a global precedent for fine dining since it opened its doors to the public in 1998. The restaurant has gained global attention and has remained on the high end of San Pellegrino’s annual list of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. For the past two years the restaurant has been ranked number five on the list, attaining even more notoriety and praise for their experimental menu of haute cuisine. Co-owners Daniel Humm and Will Guidara pride themselves on their joint accomplishment, achieving their mission of combining a multitude of European cuisines with a New York attitude.
Head Chef Daniel Humm is able to flawlessly deliver a memorable experience to his diners by utilizing the senses of taste and sight in order to create a lasting memory that the diner will take with them after their tasting experience. Diners receive 14 courses, paired with carefully selected wines accompanying each course, all with absolutely impeccable service in a classic New York style. Writing this piece presented a challenge due to the need to balance between providing enough details about the experience and not giving away too much of the surprise.
The staff and décor are elegant but not pretentious in the slightest. Every space in the restaurant is carefully planned. With every course, there was a precise, crisp and impeccable attention to detail, ensuring the quality of each guest’s experience.
There’s a consistent staff of 70 employees at all times; 35 in the kitchen, and 35 on the floor to serve 86 diners in the main dining room. The décor and ambiance is simple with seasonal decorations, reminiscent of the classical style New York is known for. All aspects of the restaurant aim to make the food the center of attention. The walls and tablecloths are white; the dining ware is made of natural materials like painted red clay and wood, once again yielding any attention to the food as the centerpiece.
There is a deliberate effort to play not only with the flavors, but with the form and colors that make up the composition of the courses. The different combinations of visuals and surprising flavors deliver an incredible palate to diners. The first course is the perfect example of this, featuring something that looked like dessert. It was a savory cookie featuring two glazes, white cheddar and black vegetable ash, balanced with a flavorful cheddar and apple chutney filling.
The salads, the meats, the soups, and all the vegetables were orchestrated in a carefully thought out order that kept us expecting and craving the next surprise.
The author's favorite dish of the night: milk and honey custard with bee pollen ice cream
In many cases the chef is able to disassociate the look of the food you’re eating from the actual flavor notes, the result of which is a completely unexpected tasting experience. Another example of this is the milk and honey custard with bee pollen ice cream (my personal favorite). It has honey partially frozen with nitrogen, placed inside custard-like ice cream, topped with a salty merengue. When it was served it looked incredibly unassuming and simple, however when you cut into the dish resembles a poached egg. This amazing contrast of sweet, salty, and the many other flavors and textures present in the dish, combine to deliver a flavor profile unlike anything I had ever tasted before.
The last course consisted of a chocolate tasting game, a nice touch at the time of delivering the check. In summary Eleven Madison Park will not disappoint.
After the meal we were given a tour of the kitchen. It was spotless, and surprisingly quiet. I have never been in a kitchen as focused and quiet as the one inside this restaurant. Each staff member was intently concentrated on their job, working to prepare and plate each dish at the highest level of perfection. A prominent large sign on the one of the kitchen walls reminds everyone to “Make it nice”. We were even treated to a demonstration by one of the kitchen staff members, who created ice pops using shaved ice and caramelized maple syrup with apple, which tasted magnificent.
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About the Author
Augusto Martinez-Orrantia joined AUI in May 2011 as CFO and SVP of Operations, and was appointed COO in July 2014. Prior to AUI his background includes positions at GE Healthcare, Nunhems (a Bayer subsidiary), General Motors and Citibank. Augusto is a graduate of Universidad Javeriana in Colombia, has an MBA in Finance and International Business from the University of St. Thomas in Houston and a Graduate Management Degree from Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico.