I go to Franny’s in Brooklyn a lot. It’s just a casual Italian place, but I could eat there every day. – Daniel Humm
History has long had a wall up between the kitchen and the dining room. Front of house, back of house – one group always wielded more power and influence. – Daniel Humm
Even if you are vegetarian, you do want to have a stuffing for Thanksgiving. The stuffing is not so much about the vegetables, but it’s very unique to the season. – Daniel Humm
The Rolling Stones seemed very loose and wild, but when you read about them, you realize that everything they did is very deliberate. – Daniel Humm
When you look at a kitchen, you tend to see that the people who are doing really well are those who have worked with the same chef or stayed in one restaurant for a significant amount of time. – Daniel Humm
What people don’t think about when they think about New York is this amazing farmland that grows wonderful fruits, vegetables, seafood, game, and fowl just outside of Manhattan. – Daniel Humm
As I mature as a chef, I no longer aim to pack multiple techniques and ingredients into a single dish. Realizing that restraint is more difficult, I find it often renders incredibly beautiful results. – Daniel Humm
The perfect ham and cheese sandwich is all about focusing on quality ingredients and about simple techniques. You start with great bread, a well-cured ham and a sharp local cheese, and the rest is easy. A little butter in a pan and a little patience – in the end you’ll have a sandwich that is at once comforting and delicious. – Daniel Humm
A cook never knows if the dish he perfected for hours was described properly or if a guest even liked his food. It’s hard to spend hours perfecting a dish only to relinquish control. But chefs need to put aside their egos and trust the people serving the food. – Daniel Humm
I think sometimes with the parsnip, people are maybe a little afraid and don’t use it as often. – Daniel Humm
I am honored to receive the James Beard award and so incredibly proud of my entire team at Eleven Madison Park. – Daniel Humm
It’s nice when there’s stuff in the middle of the table. That’s when the best conversations start to happen. – Daniel Humm
In San Francisco, the majority of the restaurants are ingredient-driven. In New York, that is true as well, but there’s also a greater focus on technique. – Daniel Humm
We can use all the scientific tools, but it will never replace the palate or the talent of the chefs who are in the kitchen. – Daniel Humm
The seasons had always been a part of the way I cooked and ate in Switzerland, and they again became what guided me in New York. – Daniel Humm
New York’s food scene is truly unique because it is this wonderful melting pot where immigrants from all over the world have brought with them their cuisines and their ingredients. – Daniel Humm
Whenever we create dishes, we work very carefully and ask ourselves, ‘Is there anything on the dish that really doesn’t make the dish better?’ Then we eliminate that. We try to stay very focused on really showcasing everything on the plate so nothing gets lost. – Daniel Humm
I try to run so I can eat anything I want. I feel it’s a luxury to be able to splurge on something like foie gras and not have to think about it. – Daniel Humm
The New York Public Library is a wonderful gem. I go there to get away from the bustle of the city. They have an incredible collection of menus from all over the city. – Daniel Humm
One of my favorite stores in the Old Town is Buchbinderei. It’s this tiny stationery shop where the owner, Doris Feldman, makes these beautiful hand-bound notebooks I always buy for gifts. – Daniel Humm
If you are working with high quality products, you can elevate the flavors more by cooking it at a low temperature than you can by searing it. – Daniel Humm
When I moved to the United States, I first went to California to be the chef at Campton Place. As much as I loved California, I really missed the seasons. So when I moved to New York, I had that again. – Daniel Humm
I realized I was never going to be Lance Armstrong. And in biking, if you want to make money, you have to be the best. – Daniel Humm
I really feel I have found myself as a chef. It’s very clear to me what I want to do – and how it should taste. – Daniel Humm
H. Schwarzenbach is a very traditional place. The store opened in the late 1800s, importing specialty items from all over the world. It was curated before we even used that word. – Daniel Humm
