AT MY TABLE
with
GAIL
SIMMONS148 DECEMBER 2018
FOR DANIEL HUMM, CHEF-OWNER of New York City’s
Eleven Madison Park (EMP), comfort means the fla-
vors of his Swiss childhood in the Alps: soft pretzels
with mustard, veal schnitzel, spaetzle. I was lucky
enough to taste his elevated takes on these dishes
(and more) at EMP’s sister restaurant he NoMad last
winter in the form of an elaborate smorgasbord he
called Sunday Fondue Nights. In true Humm style,
each plate was more decadent than the last, every
detail fully considered then playfully crafted. I left
the meal blanketed in a cozy haze.
his winter, Humm and restaurateur Will Guidara
will decamp to Aspen, Colorado—the summer-
time home of the Food & Wine Classic—to create acold-weather pop-up. Situated in the restaurant of he
St. Regis Aspen Resort and across 10 coveted yurts in
the interior courtyard, EMP Winter House will allow
Humm even more room to play with the après-ski
dishes so close to his heart.
Grab a table while you can, or do as I will: While chef
Humm and his team are spreading good cheer in the
Rockies, I plan to hunker down in my Brooklyn kitchen
and re-create my new favorite comfort food: Humm’s
simple, golden potato rösti, blanketed in crème fraîche
and layered with pastrami and whole-grain mustard.
It doesn’t get cozier than that. EMP Winter House runs
from December 15 to mid-March; reservations open
November 15; empwinterhouse.comCozy, Aspen-Style
Potato Rösti
with Pastrami
(recipe p. 147)PHOTOGRAPHY: VICTOR PROTASIO; FOOD STYLING: MARGARET MONROE DICKEY; PROP STYLING: CHRISTINE KEELY