Humm-ing To An Indian Tune

Chef and owner at Eleven Madison Park, Daniel Humm, has made history more than twice with his numero uno fine dine in Manhattan, New York. On a visit to India last month, he spoke to us about touring Kashmir and why he's convinced that the future of food is plant-based.

- Suman Mahfuz Quazi

Between learning to love dosa in 2018 and ravishing a home-style Kashmiri meal in 2023, veteran chef Daniel Humm has found a certain fondness for India. "It is an incredibly special place," says the Swiss-origin restaurateur, who is at the helm of Eleven Madison Park (EMP) - New York's big league fine dine that's held the #No1 ranking in World's 50 Best Restaurants (2017); and made waves by becoming the first plant-based diner to have three Michelin stars.

When he writes to us, he is touring Kashmir heaven on earth, haven for culinarians with the team at Masque (ranked #No16 in Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2023), as part of a sourcing trip. It was the precursor to a one-of-a-kind collaboration between the Manhattan institution and the award-winning, Mumbai-based, dining landmark, where Humm's signatures were re-interpreted through an Indian lens and fused with Masque's Head Chef, Varun Totlani's sensibilities for a special, limited-edition menu that lasted over a weekend in August.