Eleven Madison Park Coming to Caruso’s in Montecito

One of New York City’s most celebrated — and controversial — restaurants is taking over the kitchen at Caruso’s in the Rosewood Miramar this weekend, when Chef Daniel Humm of Eleven Madison Park comes to present his vegetarian fare on June 30 and July 1. 

The winner of three Michelin stars — the Michelin Guide’s top designation, only earned by 142 restaurants in 2022 across the globe — Eleven Madison Park made waves by shifting to a vegan menu in 2021, trading standout dishes like duck and scallop carpaccio for roasted beets and Japanese cypress seeds called tonburi. The dramatic shift in strategy got mixed reviews at first, but Humm stayed the course, retaining the three stars and becoming the first plant-based restaurant in the world to achieve as much. 

He sees common ground with Chef Massimo Falsini of Caruso’s. The seaside Montecito restaurant won its first Michelin star last year and was also named as one of only 12 “Green Star” restaurants in the country, a designation for sustainably minded approaches. Humm and Falsini worked together to develop this weekend’s menus, and there is talk of Falsini potentially heading to New York City for a Caruso’s takeover of the EMP kitchen sometime later. 

Humm answered a few of my questions via email this week. 

From what I’ve read over the past year, the plant-based menu shift at Eleven Madison Park endured some ups and downs before retaining three Michelin stars in the fall. How’s it going today?  

Our restaurant was famous for its lavender-roasted duck and suckling pig, but initially, this change felt limiting and scary. However, over the past year and a half, we have discovered the opposite: just how liberating it can be to cook toward a more beautiful, sustainable, and delicious future. Although it was a challenging transition, I am proud of my team for committing, and I am honored by our guests’ belief in us. 

The other night, I was in the dining room, and the energy felt effervescent, from the usual sounds of laughter and clinking glasses to a bar that was full to overflowing. But it felt different, and at that moment, I realized that most of our guests were much younger and more diverse than I had seen in the last 15 years. This menu has attracted a significant shift in our audience. This gives me hope that a plant-based menu has a place in the canon of fine dining and will inspire other restaurants to incorporate more plant-based options.

When even award-winning restaurants are moving toward more casual settings, where do more classical fine dining places like EMP and Caruso’s fit into the modern dining scene? 

We’re challenging the notion of fine dining and redefining what constitutes luxury and rarity. EMP has always strived to push ourselves and excel in our craft. Everything we do at the restaurant is aimed at enhancing the guests’ experience or making it more enjoyable. At the heart of dining out is being with friends, family, and loved ones, and our goal is to enhance that experience in everything we do.

How did the connection with Caruso’s happen? 

Their dedication to sustainability is impressive, from sourcing ingredients from their own garden to their initiatives to minimize waste and more.

Where does Santa Barbara stand from an industry standpoint?

I was recently talking about the pop-up with our wine director, Gabriel Di Bella. The conversation turned toward California and how Santa Barbara is one of California’s most dynamic wine scenes. We are looking forward to being part of it.

What do you hope to showcase during the pop-ups at Caruso’s?

So much of what we eat is a part of our identity, and we are excited to share our language of food. Our goal is to become a changemaker in global fine dining, using culinary creativity as an art form to showcase the beauty of vegetables and a more conscious, thought-provoking approach to upscale cuisine.

Click here for Caruso’s Restaurant and see elevenmadisonpark.com for more.