Daniel Humm dropped out of school at 14 to become a competitive cyclist, and supported himself by cutting vegetables and making soup stock at fine restaurants in Switzerland. When he eventually realized he'd never become a world-class cyclist, he pivoted to the equally competitive world of fine dining, and soon became a rising young chef in Switzerland, and then San Francisco. In 2006, he was wooed to New York to re-imagine the restaurant Eleven Madison Park, and began drawing raves for his painterly presentations of duck, foie gras, and suckling pig. The restaurant was recognized in 2017 as the world's best, but was forced to shut down during the pandemic. When it reopens in June, it will generate a new buzz in gastronomy: this time by revamping its menu to be entirely plant-based. How I Built This Summit - information and tickets at:http://summit.npr.orgSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Daniel Humm, chef and owner of Eleven Madison Park, shares his experience running a fine-dining restaurant and explains why he shifted to a completely plant-based menu during the pandemic. The podcast also delves into the AI arms race among big tech companies, the impact of ChatGPT on society, and Walmart's search for a new CEO with healthcare experience.

Daniel Humm, Eleven Madison Park chef and owner, talks about running a fine-dining restaurant during the pandemic and making the menu plant-based. Mark Sullivan discusses the major players in the AI industry and Congress's role in regulating AI. Walmart's search for a new CEO with healthcare experience is also discussed.

This weekend we’re returning to the first-ever episode of the FT Weekend podcast, from September. Lilah talks to Eleven Madison Park’s Daniel Humm and Chez Panisse’s legendary Alice Waters to discover how the world’s top chefs are finding purpose beyond their restaurants. Humm created a buzz in May when he announced that his world-famous restaurant would be going entirely plant-based. Has that risk paid off? And what does it mean to do good as a chef? Plus: the FT’s design critic Edwin Heathcote gives us a tour of the world’s most vengeful architecture, and reporter Madison Darbyshire shares tips for how to furnish your home with old things. Want to say hi? We love hearing from you. Email us at ftweekendpodcast@ft.com. We’re on Twitter @ftweekendpod, and Lilah is on Instagram and Twitter @lilahrap. —----------Special offers for Weekend listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial are here: http://ft.com/weekendpodcast.--------------The first US FT Weekend Festival is on Saturday, May 7 in Washington, DC! To attend virtually or in person, buy tickets at http://ft.weekendfestival.com – use the discount code FTFriends2022 for 50% off.--------------Links from the episode Lilah’s piece on chefs: https://www.ft.com/content/246cdc2a-f135-4d3d-9d74-e524e9217699  Edwin on the architecture of spite: https://www.ft.com/content/1161fbbe-5ae1-4328-bf59-dcd8b1d6564f Madison’s masterclass in flea-market chic: https://www.ft.com/content/6c8bf8a2-ddee-11e9-9743-db5a370481bc  Sound design and mixing is by Breen Turner, with original music by Metaphor Music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when one of—if not the—greatest restaurants in the world suddenly goes 100% plant-based?For perspective, out of the 132 three-star Michelin star restaurants around the world, not a single one is vegan. Suffice it to say, most would say such a move is tantamount to financial suicide.But Chef Daniel Humm—the world-renown chef and owner of Eleven Madison Park—sees it as the greatest purpose-driven, creative challenge of his lifetime.Like most restaurants, when the pandemic hit Eleven Madison Park closed its doors and grappled with bankruptcy. But it was during this time that Daniel started thinking more deeply about purpose. What he stands for. How he could leverage his talent and resources to meaningfully participate in solutions to food insecurity and the inherently unsustainable nature of food systems more broadly.Bold leaps followed. He converted the EMP kitchen into a commissary to provide free meals to food-insecure New Yorkers. He kitted out a food truck to distribute those meals. He partnered with Rethink Food, a non-profit committed to creating sustainable and equitable food systems, to work on solving food inequality at scale. But his coup de grace involved re-opening the most revered restaurant in the world with a completely plant-based menu—and ensuring that every EMP meal enjoyed pays for five meals freely distributed to those in need.It’s a move that sent shockwaves throughout the food world. But Daniel’s bet is more than paying off, denoted by a waitlist that currently exceeds 15,000 people.On the very day Eleven Madison Park announced its new menu, I committed to making this podcast happen. My friend, past podcast guest, and former Esquire magazine Food & Drinks editor Jeff Gordinier connected the dots. In turn, Daniel agreed to do the show. But there was a condition: first I must dine at EMP. Deal. I immediately booked a flight to NYC. I joined Jeff for said dinner—an exquisite experience like no other—and the day following convened with Daniel for this exchange.This conversation is about why cuisine at the highest level—food as art—plays a vital role in moving culture forward. It’s about what makes a great chef. What pursuing a passion truly entails. And the magic of embracing constant reinvention.It’s also about the role that art, minimalism and essentialism have played in the evolution of Daniel’s craft and life philosophy.But more than anything, this is a deeply personal tale of evolution. It’s about the search for purpose beyond accolades—and what it means to devote your talents in service of a better world.Special Thanks to Daniel’s team for arranging this dining & podcasting experience and to Joseph Hazan at Newsstand Studio in Rockefeller Center for allowing us to record in his facility. Also, gratitude to photographers Sebastian Nevols (kitchen portrait) and Craig McDean (black & white portraits) for permitting use of their images.Now one of the most important and influential figures in the plant-based movement, it was a privilege to experience Daniel’s talents and company. And it’s an honor to share this fascinating exchange with you today.FULL BLOG & SHOW NOTES: bit.ly/richroll615YouTube: bit.ly/danielhumm615My hope is that his words inspire you to deeply rethink your personal capabilities—and to see that the answers you seek lie within.Peace + Plants,Rich