Eleven Madison Park, first restaurant to win 3 Michelin stars with plant-based menu, will serve meat again

Eleven Madison Park is ditching its vegan-only menu. 

Starting Oct. 14, the restaurant, which became the first in the world to earn three Michelin stars for an entirely plant-based menu, will begin offering meat dishes including meat and duck. 

The vegan-only menu launched after the pandemic, in 2021. 

Chef Daniel Humm posted an explanation of the change on the restaurant's website. 

"When we reopened Eleven Madison Park in 2021, emerging from lockdown, we vowed to rebuild differently: craft a meal every bit as transporting as before without a single animal product. The decision was a creative leap and a climate imperative," Humm wrote. "The announcement ignited a debate that transcended food, something we hadn't prepared for ... My team and I felt liberated and cracked open. The journey proved richer than any before." 

He said their subsequently being awarded three Michelin stars in 2022 "was something unimaginable. It felt like walking on water." 

Humm said however the decision has had unintended consequences, which are prompting the change. 

"It became clear that while we had built something meaningful, we had also unintentionally kept people out. This is the opposite of what we believe hospitality to be," he wrote. "Eating together is the essence of who we are, and I've learned that for me to truly champion plant-based cooking, I need to create an environment where everyone feels welcome around the table."