Claridge’s will close its flagship fine dining restaurant Davies and Brook at the end of December due to a disagreement with chef Daniel Humm, who wants to make it fully vegan.
Claridge’s flagship fine dining restaurant is set to change after the hotel announced it was parting ways with Michelin starred chef Daniel Humm. Humm, who runs the entirely vegan three Michelin starred restaurant 11 Madison Park in New York, wanted to make his London outpost a plant-based destination too, but instead of supporting the decision, Claridge’s has decided to part ways with its hospitality partner.
The move was announced on the hotel’s social media channels, in a lengthy post that stressed the departure was an amicable one. “We completely respect and understand the culinary direction of a fully plant-based menu that Daniel has decided to embrace and champion and now wants to introduce in London. However, this is not the path we wish to follow here at Claridge’s at the moment, and therefore, regretfully, we have mutually agreed to go our separate ways.” It read.
Humm will continue to head up Davies and Brook until the end of December, after which the hotel is due to announce who will take over the space.
While many praised the hotel for their courteous post and recognised the brand’s allegiance to old-world grandeur, others questioned why management wouldn’t embrace ‘the future’ of dining. One Instagram follower wrote, ‘Guys. Claridge’s is a fabulous hotel but clearly sadly the management are stuck in the past. What a terrible missed opportunity to show the world that Claridge’s is embracing the future with one of the world’s finest chefs.’ While someone else simply wrote ‘disappointed in your decision’.
In his own Instagram post, Humm detailed that his decision has been the result of months of contemplation. “Over the last 18 months I’ve taken time to consider what our next chapter looks like. It has never been more clear that the world is changing, and we have to change with it.” He wrote. Adding, “standing behind this mission, and what we believe in, is most important and is unfortunately not something we can compromise on.”
Humm started his career at Claridge’s and came full circle to open Davies and Brook in 2019, which he has repeatedly referred to a a dream come true. Critically lauded by many, the a la carte menu at Davies and Brook will set you back £125 and includes both a cold and warm starter as well as a main and dessert. Famous dishes include a butter poached native lobster with cauliflower mushroom and razor clams and dry-aged duck with lavender and honey.
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