At the James Beard Awards on Monday, May 7th, Daniel Humm of Eleven Madison Park won the Outstanding Chef Award. As has been the case each time EMP has garnered a James Beard award – and a formidable list it is! – there’s been a celebratory party. Happily, we’ve been to most of them and were excited to be attending this one.
After a superb dinner at EMP’s new sibling, NoMad, Michael and I hoofed it over to EMP, arriving a little after 11 p.m. Although there were already lots of revelers, and the DJ – who had been on stand-by – was setting up, there were still several tables of EMP diners in the midst of their meal. At one of the tables, I noticed the famous duck being carved.
I was chatting with NoMad’s Chef de Cuisine Abram Bissel and his lovely wife when Daniel Green, EMP’s Assistant General Manager, who was standing close by, uncorked a bottle of Champagne and began spraying it around. I managed to make my way through the crowd to the side of the room away from the line of fire. Michael, however, got a bit soaked.
The D.J. spun the first record of the evening, “We Are the Champions,” and the party officially began. As people kept pouring through the revolving doors, the cavernous room became packed and LOUD. We eventually escaped upstairs to the private rooms where I snapped a couple of photos.
Congratulations, Daniel! It’s been quite the ride the past five years, and we’re thrilled to have been there to share it with you every step of the way.
