Eleven Madison Park, one of New York’s most lauded restaurants, is coming to Hong Kong. For four days in March, chef Daniel Humm and general manager Will Guidara will be in residence at the Mandarin Oriental, serving a seven- course lunch and nine-course dinner of dishes from the Eleven Madison Park repertoire.
The event is part of a yearlong celebration of the Mandarin’s 50th birthday.
We asked Chef Humm what’s involved in bringing his Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star show halfway around the world, and what he plans to do when he gets here.
We understand the menus for the event will include some of your signature dishes. Will there be any new dishes, designed specifically for this event?
All of the dishes for the event will be dishes from Eleven Madison Park, though they are being adapted, whenever possible, to seize upon the ingredients in Hong Kong. Some of the dishes are ones that we currently have on our menu and some are older favorites (like foie gras with asparagus and truffles) that we’re bringing back just for the event.
Is the idea of this event to essentially recreate the Eleven Madison Park experience? Is that even possible?
While we recognize that you can’t truly experience our restaurant completely unless you’re in our dining room, we are doing everything we can to bring a taste of Eleven Madison Park to the Mandarin Oriental, both in terms of the food and in terms of the service.
How will you be sourcing your ingredients for this event? Will you be using any local products?
We have been collaborating with the chefs at the Mandarin to get the best ingredients possible for our dishes. They have turned us onto some amazing products that we’re excited to work with.
Have you been to Hong Kong before?
No, but we’ve heard so much about it over the years, so we’re really looking forward to experiencing it ourselves. Its cosmopolitan nature together with its old-world tranquility, its bustle together with its grace — we know it’s a city we’re going to love.
We imagine you won’t have much spare time, but are there any restaurants you’re hoping to get to while you’re in Hong Kong? Or any particular foods you’re hoping to eat?
We’re really excited to check out what the city has to offer, especially after hearing such great things about its diverse food culture. We really want the inside scoop from the locals, from fine dining to street food and everything in between. And we got tickets to a rugby sevens game, which we’re very excited about.
The seven-course lunch menu with wine pairings is HK$3,688 per person; the nine-course dinner menu with wine pairings is HK$5,288 per person. Dinner guests will receive a signed copy of the Eleven Madison Park cookbook. For reservations, call 852-2825-4004.
Photos Courtesy of Francesco Tonelli, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group and Eleven Madison Park