Daniel Humm - Eleven Madison Park, The Cookbook

6ForEwOrdbyDANNYMEYERRestaurantsarealotlikechildren:theyrefuntoconceive,challengingtobringintotheworld,andtheygenerallyrewardyouwithabundanttriumphandoccasionalhardshipastheyearsprogress.Theirpersona-litiesareessentiallyimprintedupondelivery,andaboutthemostimpactyoucanhaveasaparent/patronistoimbuethemwithnonnegotiablefamilyvaluesandcharacter,exposethemtothebestpossibleeduca-tion,teachthemtocarefortheirhealth,correcttheirmistakescon-sistentlyandcalmly,guidethemthroughinevitableboutsofadversity,avoidcausingunduedamagetotheirself-esteem,andlovethemeverystepoftheway.Afterenoughyearshavepassed,andifyouvedoneyourbestwork,thegiftandthanksyougetisahealthy,independentadultwhosetimehascometolivelifewithautonomyandindependencefoundeduponyourvalues,butwithadistinctivepersonalstampandstyle.SoithasbeenwithElevenMadisonPark.Itislate1996andIhearaboutanexciting-soundingrestaurantop-portunityinaone-million-square-footbuildingIveneversteppedfootin,toweringoveraderelictparkanysaneNewYorkerhasalwayssteeredclearof.ButImintriguedperhapsevenmoresobecausethatparkhasastoriedpastandmilesofpotential.Itsnearlyimpossibletocom-prehendatouroftheenormousspace,asitscurrentlyamakeshiftcon-structionofficeawarrenofdesks,metaltoolboxes,andequipment.Theentireartdecobuildingisgettingamultimillion-dollarmakeover.Threetoweringthirty-footwindowsareglazedoverinpurplefilm,makingitimpossibletoseeMadisonSquareParkwhichisnotsuchabadthingbecauseatthispointintimetheresnotmuchyouwanttoseeinthatparkanyway.Butthegrandnessandsheercubicvolumeofspaceisbeyondimpressive,andallIcanthinkaboutisthewordbrasserie.Thisspaceisdyingtobeagiantnightlypartywiththemostsolidpossiblebrasseriecooking,andthegoalistocreateanirresistiblerestaurantthatwillbeevenmorefunandtastierthantheFrenchstandard.Wewillup-dateandrefinetraditionalbrasseriefarebycookingbenchmarkversionsofwell-knowndisheslikecassoulet,choucroute,soupeloignan,cuissesdegrenouilles,pot-au-feu,coqauvin,ctedeboeuf,andsoon.Andnobrasserieonearthwilleverwelcomeitsguestswithawarmersenseofhospitalitythanwewillinthisestablishment.Afteranentireyearofnegotiatingwiththebuildingsowner,MetLife,wesignaleaseandthendesignarestaurantthatwillturnoutevenmorebeautifullythanIdimagined(BentelandBentelarchitectsaston-ishmewiththeirunderstandingofthelandmarkbuildingbycreatingaplacethatretiresthebrassinbrasseries).Idontknowityet,butthiswillbecomethemostexpensiverestaurantIveeverbuilt,acombinationofhighdesign,complicatedconstruction,andthetaxingrequirementsofaspacethatsontheNationalRegisterofHistoricPlaces.Webringonboardaverytalentedchef,KerryHeffernan,whodeftlyupdatesbrasseriefareforthenewcenturyaheadofus.ItisNovember1998andtherestaurantisatlastopenforguests.Theroomisstatelyandstunning,farmoreurbanethanwedeverdreamed.Therestaurantbustlesfromtheoutset,attractingearlycrowdswhodevourdinnersoffriseauxlardons,skategrenobloise,andchocolatesouffl.Earlyreviewsarein:ElevenMadisonParkreceivesfourenthusiasticstarsfromtheDailyNews;thentwomiddlingstarsfromtheNewYorkTimes;next,aspotonEsquireslistofAmericasBestNewRestaurants;andatlastacoverstoryintheWineSpectatorspotlightingNewYorksbestneweateries.Aftertheearlyglowsubsides,businessissolidenoughbutrarelyspec-tacular.OnMondaynightsmanyoftherestaurants180seatsgoempty;eachdayoftheweekgrowsbusier,andbyFridaysandSaturdaysthewaitlistforreservationsisamilelong.Peoplearetryingtotellussome-thing,butwecantquitehearwhatitis.Whydotheyloveevencravetheplaceondatenight,andavoiditatthebeginningoftheweek?Thisisnotsupposedtohavebecomeaspecial-occasionrestaurant,butthatispreciselyhowpeopleareusingit.Theupsanddownsofbusinesscauseacollectiveadversitythatactuallyinvigoratesthestaff.Theybecometighterasafamilyunitbecausethechallengeofinconsistentbusinessissomethingtheyareworkingthroughtogether.Thestaffisstrongandtalented;theirheartsarebig.TheyearnElevenMadisonParkitsfirstJamesBeardAward,forOutstandingServiceinAmerica.Then,withhallowedplacementintheZagatSurvey,ElevenMadisonParkbreakssolidlyintotheTop20amongNewYorkersFavoriteRestaurants.TherestaurantbecomesthedefactoheadquartersforthenewMadi-sonSquareParkConservancyadoptingtheupkeepandprogrammingofitsnamesakeparkasitschiefcause.NextitjoinsthefightagainsthungerbyembracingandsupportingtheworkofShareOurStrength.OnSeptember11,2001,therestaurantinstinctivelyshiftsintoactivecommunitymode,settingupamakeshiftkitcheninthebasementofthe69thRegimentArmorytoserveemergencymealstothefamiliesofvictimsandearlyresponders.Tobesure,EMP(asitisnowlovinglyknown)hasdevelopedalegionofdevotedloyalists.Butthereisanundercurrentofdisaffectionamongsome,especiallyinthefoodieworld,whofeelitisnotlivinguptoitspotential.Itsneitherboisterousnorenoughfuntobeconsideredabrasserie.Ratherthanfeelinglikeanoverachievingbrasserie,iteatslikeanunderachievinggrandrestaurant.Itseemstherestaurantssatisfy-ingcomfortfoodisthewrongpieceofartforthegrandframethatisthearchitecturalbonesoftheplace.In2005,theNewYorkTimesrestaurantcriticFrankBruniaddstothissentimentandgivesEMPitssecondtwo-starreview.AtleasttherestauranthasnowearneditsfirstfourNewYorkTimesstars:toobadithastakentworeviewsfromtwoseparatereviewerstoachievethem!Thereissomegoodnews.Bytheendoftheyear,therestauranthasatlastpaidoffitsmountainofbankdebtthelongestithasevertakenus

7toreachthatmilestone.Thisisthetimeinvestorswaitfor,ascashdistributionscanatlastbegin.ThenewZagatSurveycomesoutandtherestaurantreachesnumber13amongNewYorkersFavoritesnotatallbadconsideringtherearemorethan26,000eatingestablish-mentsinNewYork!However,emboldenedtolistentomyowngut,Idecidethatnowisthetimetostartfromscratchtobreakthevaseandformanewone.Iaskmybusinesspartner,RichardCoraine,toscourthecountryinsearchofachefwhostillhasmostofhisorhercareeraheadandwhohastheculinarychopsnecessarytoturnjadedNewYorkpalatesintoapos-tlesofEMP.IwanttofindsomeonewhohasnevercookedinNewYork,whohasyettobecomeahouseholdnameamongitsfood-obsessed.Eventually,Richardsteersmetoonerestaurant,SanFranciscosCamptonPlace,whereatwenty-nine-year-oldSwiss-bornchef,DanielHumm,isturningheadsnightlywithdishesthatappearfarsimplerthantheytaste.Ivisitonenightandcutintoapristinebutratherplain-lookingtorchonoffoiegras,onlytohaveitscenteroozeapuddleofunctuousmaplesyrup.Brilliant.Mysucklingpigdebonedandreformedintoaminiblocktoppedwiththefinestcracklingskinisaloneworththetrip.Sixmonthsofgentlecoaxingensue,afterwhichDanielHummchoosesatlasttomovetoNewYorktotakeoverthekitchenatElevenMadisonPark.WehireanewgeneralmanageraswellsomeonewhohasrunoneofthecountrysleadingtemplesofcookingalsofrombeyondNewYork.Onebyone,staffmembersdecampleavingjustahandfuloftheoriginals.Theircheesehasbeenmovedinabigway.Wereducetherestaurantsseatingcountfrom180to168,andthenfurtherto120orso.ThiswillhelpthekitchentocookatDanielslevel,anditsendsasignaltoourgueststhatwemeanfortheexperiencetochange.Thisisnolongeraneo-brasserie.Itisagrandrestaurant.GonearetheFrenchfries,thectedeboeuffortwo,andthesandwichesatlunch.TheonlyfoodthatremainsfromtheoriginalElevenMadisonParkarethedelicategougresguestsareservedalongsidetheiraperitif.Wereconvinceditwillpayoff,becausesurelythiswillearnElevenMadisonParkitselusivethirdstarfromtheNewYorkTimes;thisishowguestshavealwaystoldustheywanttousetherestaurant.DuringDanielsfirstweeksheisoftendespondentcertainthathesmadeamistakeincomingtoNewYork.Therestaurantistoolarge,NewYorkersdontunderstandhiswayswithflavoredfoams,itsharderthanhethoughttofindcookswhocancookhisfood,andthegrowingseasonforpristineproduceissomuchlongerandbetterintheBayAreathanitishere.Danielrespectstherestaurantsgeneralmanager,buttheirstylisticchemistryislacking.Idecidetomakeamanagementmove,andcon-cernedthattherestaurantnotloseitsdistinctivecultureofgenerouswarmthevenwhilerefiningitsofferingsIrecruitoneofourownyoungstars,twenty-six-year-oldWillGuidara,whohasworkedforusatTabla(freshoutofCornell),andlater,followingastintoutsideUnionSquareHospitalityGroup,hasopenedourverybusyandexcellentcafes(Cafe2andTerrace5)attheMuseumofModernArt.Ittakessomeseri-ousconvincingtogetWilltomovefromthemuseumtoElevenMadisonPark.ButaftertwomeetingswithDaniel,tastinghisfood,sizinguphisownaspirations,Willchooseshispath,anditisEMP.Withinseveralshortmonths,therestaurantbeginstorecapturethefancyoffoodies.Chefsfromotherrestaurantsareshowingupforthefirsttimeinyears.Influentialsfromthefoodblogosphereeatandweighinalmostnightly.TheNewYorkObservergrantsEMPathree-and-a-half-starreview,andshortlythereaftertherestaurantatlastearnsitsfirstthree-starreviewfromFrankBruniintheNewYorkTimes.Businessheatsupandmoralesoars.WillandDanielaskforameetingwithmetodescribetheirboldestplantodate.TheyshowmewhatitwouldtaketogetfourstarsfromtheTimes,showermewithallthereasonsitisimportanttogoalltheway,andaskformyadviceandpermissionforsharingthiswiththeotherUnionSquareHospitalityGrouppartners.Thisrestauranthasneverbeensatisfiedwithitscurrentpointofsuccess.Wevealwaysbeenaboutendlessreinvention.Thisisourtime,theysay.ThefinancialprojectionslooksolidiffurtherdowntheroadthanwedallhopedandImcom-pletelytakenwiththenotionofreinventingtheclassicfour-starexperienceforanewgeneration.Lessstarch,morehuman,everybitasdelicious.Aroundayearbeforewefinallyearnthatfourthstar,thethreeofushavedinnerinBrooklynonenightanddiscussafutureinwhichthereisevenmoreautonomyownershipforWillandDaniel.TheywanttobegintheirownrestaurantcompanytodotheirownthingbutalsowanttoremainatElevenMadisonPark.Ourconversationstakeplacewithgrowingfrequencyoverthenextmonths.Theirentrepreneurialzealisexcitingtome(havingopenedUnionSquareCafeatagetwenty-seven,becauseIjusthadto),andIcompletelyunderstandwheretheyarecomingfrom.Iwantthemtogoforit,tofollowtheircollectivepassion.ButthetroubleisthatIcannotfathomorsquareinmymindbeingcolleaguesatElevenMadisonParkandrivalselsewhereatthesametime.Thatisnothealthyforourrelationship,norisitfairtoElevenMadisonParkoritsemployees.Sowetalkandtalksomemore,untilfinallyweconcludethattheverybestoutcomeistotakeapagefromsomanygreatEuropeanrestaurantswheretheoriginalpatronhandstherestaurantovertohisprotg.Therestaurantisreadyforitsindependence,foranautonomouslifebuiltuponthecharacterofitsfamily,thethumbprintofitsgeneticmake-upandtheveryspecificandbeautifulpersonalityitsleaders,WillandDaniel,haveinstilleditwith.Frommyviewpoint,mypartnersandIhavedoneourmostresponsiblejobsasparents,andtheproofisinthefamilycelebrationacknowledgingthatElevenMadisonParkisreadytorideforwardundertheirrepressibleandirresistibleleadershipofWillandDaniel.ThefutureofElevenMadisonParkisblindinglybrightandsolongasitsustainsitspersonalitytraitofnevereverrestingonanylaurel,Icannotwaittoreturnandreturn.Inthemeantime,youandIhavethisgorgeouscookbook.Someofuswillcookfromit;andwhenwedont,allofuscansavorthebeautyofDanielscooking,whichjumpsoffthesepages,anddigintotheongoingstoryofadynamicandmajesticrestaurant.