Swiss-born Daniel Humm won the top US chef prize last week, with the group that hands out the most prestigious US culinary awards celebrating its 25th anniversary as interests in food and cooking scale fresh heights around the world.
Humm is among the youngest winners of the James Beard Foundation’s outstanding US chef award. Critics on both sides of the Atlantic have regarded Humm as one of the brightest up-and-coming culinary talents.
His New York City restaurant Eleven Madison Park, where Humm became executive chef in 2006, won the foundation’s best restaurant award just a year ago. Since then, the eatery has racked up other top awards for its innovative menu and superb service.
“Daniel Humm’s architect dad, who wanted him to follow in his footsteps, must be so proud and glad he decided to bring his creativity to a chef’s table rather than a drafting table,” said Susan Ungaro, president of the James Beard Foundation about the prize-winning chef.
“We couldn’t be happier that he is adding James Beard ‘Outstanding Chef’ Award to his mantle of prestigious awards.”
Last month, the Michelin three-star restaurant was ranked the world’s 10th best in the S. Pellegrino and Acqua Panna World’s 50 Best Restaurants survey. Humm defeated David Chang of New York’s Momofuku Ssam Bar, Gary Danko of Restaurant Gary Danko in San Francisco, Paul Kahan of Blackbird in Chicago, Donald Link of Herbsaint in New Orleans and Nancy Silverton of Pizzeria Mozza in Los Angeles.
Boulvevard in San Francisco, known for its high-end American cuisine, was crowned outstanding US restaurant, while Next in Chicago with its changing, experimental menu was awarded best new restaurant.
The “Rising Star” honour for chefs under 30 went to Christina Tosi of Momofuku Milk Bar in New York.
Another female chef, Mindy Segal of Mindy’s Hot Chocolate in Chicago, nabbed the honour of the top US pastry chef.
Last Friday, the foundation named Modernist Cuisine by Nathan Myhrvold with Chris Young and Maxime Bilet – a six-volume, 2,400-page series on the cutting-edge cooking techniques – the year’s best cookbook.