Daniel Humm Ditches Tasting Menu
3-Michelin-star Chef Daniel Humm's restaurant at Charleston Place has ditched its tasting menu format in favor of à la carte dining. The move signals a broader shift away from rigid tasting menus toward more flexible fine dining experiences.
The year-long residency, "Chef Daniel Humm x The Charleston Place, Presented by Resy," opened in October 2025 in the space formerly occupied by the acclaimed Charleston Grill. Humm, known for his three-Michelin-starred Eleven Madison Park in New York, brought his plant-forward and climate-conscious culinary approach to the Lowcountry. The initial format was a seasonal four or five-course prix-fixe menu priced at $135 per person. The menu blended Humm's signature style with local Charleston ingredients, featuring dishes like butter-poached lobster and celery root schnitzel alongside a whole roasted chicken for two. The move away from a set tasting menu reflects a larger shift in the fine-dining world, as some chefs and diners are moving away from lengthy, multi-course experiences. This trend is driven by a desire to offer guests more flexibility and choice, encouraging more frequent visits from local clientele rather than just for special occasions. Some restaurateurs are finding that an à la carte model can make high-end dining more accessible and less of a time commitment for patrons. This change can also lead to reduced food waste and provide a more dynamic kitchen environment. The switch often signals a response to diner feedback and a recognition of evolving preferences for more personalized and less rigid fine-dining encounters.
