Eleven Madison Park’s recent decision to reintroduce animal products—after four years as a groundbreaking, Michelin starred plant-based restaurant – is disappointing….

And yet..…

This week, I find myself reflecting on what this announcement means for those of us who care about the future of plant-based dining.

My husband and I ate at Eleven Madison Park a couple of years ago and it was indeed a theatrical experience. Even just securing the reservation with a nonrefundable 225 fee PER PERSON, was dramatic. (And that was the limited bar menu.)

At the time, I told myself that experience and innovation— in such a rarefied environment—came at a price. I admired that they used their prestige to champion plant-based cuisine, pushing the culinary conversation forward.

Restaurants face tremendous pressure and as a lifelong business owner, I of course sympathize. I can imagine that what Chef Daniel Humm has said is very true – corporate events have been challenging with a plant based menu and wine pairings may not be as lucrative when not paired with greasy meat dishes. I certainly lost my taste for bigger red wines at dinner when I moved in a vegan direction.

For vegans and committed plant-based folks, this breaking news does feel personal. The fact that a restaurant of its stature is rolling back those ambitions, even partially, feels like a loss to many of us—and not just in terms of menu choices.

The move leaves me with hard questions. What should our expectations be when it comes to the restaurants and chefs we celebrate? Is it unfair to expect unwavering ideals in a world that rarely rewards them? Chef Alexis Gauthier shared his thoughts on this on his substack page. 

As for my personal opinion – yes, my husband and I had a great time.
Had we been back? No.

Because for us there was something just too flashy and indulgent about paying that much money for food as performance.
Now cut to a second Trump administration, wars, starvation, rolling back of civil protections, and a sense that women’s health, gay marriage and the independence of the media are under media attack – just to mention a few of the things that literally keep me up at night. Turns out I really couldn’t give a flying fig that Eleven Madison Park is reintroducing animal products.

It was a gimmick and it’s over.

What are YOUR thoughts? I would love to hear them.