When Daniel Humm landed in Charleston a decade ago, he didn’t imagine he’d be back — at least not like this. The Swiss-born chef, whose Eleven Madison Park once topped the list of the world’s best restaurants, has opened a yearlong residency inside The Charleston Place hotel, taking over the storied space that housed Charleston Grill for 36 years.
This isn’t a pop-up in the casual sense. It’s a full-scale takeover — kitchen, dining room, philosophy — with the potential to become something permanent.
A Culinary Bridge Between Cities
Chef Daniel Humm x The Charleston Place, presented by Resy, officially opened Oct. 2. It marks the first time Humm has dedicated a full year to a project outside New York.
The concept: a four-course fine dining experience ($135) that channels Eleven Madison Park’s meticulous touch through a Lowcountry lens. Diners choose from dishes like ricotta gnudi with black truffle, butter-poached lobster, black bass crudo, and baked Alaska with peach and Meyer lemon.
Some signatures — carrot tartare and the playful clambake — have made the trip south, too.
But this is not a carbon copy of Manhattan’s Michelin-star temple.
“I think it’s going to be a very modern version of fine dining,” Humm said to the Post & Courier. “It’s also pushing our thinking at Eleven Madison Park.”
The Roots of a Return
Humm’s connection to Charleston runs back to a collaboration with Sean Brock years ago, when he toured the city’s unassuming eateries and fell for its distinct culinary identity.
When Ben Navarro’s BHC Hospitality approached him about filling the void left by Charleston Grill’s closure, Humm saw more than a pop-up — he saw a partnership rooted in shared values.
“It wasn’t exactly on my radar,” he said. “But the moment it came on my radar, it just made complete sense.”
Now, he splits time between New York and Charleston — an easy flight for a chef used to bridging worlds.
In 2021, Humm made Eleven Madison Park fully plant-based — a radical move that earned both praise and skepticism. Michelin later validated the vision, naming it the world’s first three-star vegan restaurant.
But this year, he softened the stance, reintroducing meat and fish to the menu. His Charleston residency follows suit: vegetables still star, but proteins like chicken and black cod are treated with reverence.
“The goal isn’t about restriction,” Humm said. “It’s about creativity, sustainability, and cooking with intention.”
Expect a menu that evolves and experiments — dishes tested here could end up in New York.
A New Chapter for a Historic Space
The former Charleston Grill dining room has been reimagined with new rugs, artwork, and a painting by Rita Ackermann, whose work also adorns Eleven Madison Park.
Dinner is served Wednesday through Sunday, and reservations — naturally — are on Resy.
The residency ends next fall, but Humm isn’t ruling out a longer stay.
“That’s part of the exploration,” he said. “I would love to have a restaurant in Charleston.”
For now, it’s a yearlong love letter — from one world-class kitchen to a city hungry for what comes next.
🍷 Chef Daniel Humm x The Charleston Place
📍 Charleston Place Hotel, 205 Meeting St.
🕰️ Dinner Wednesday–Sunday
🔗 Reservations: resy.com
