James Beard Award-winning chef Daniel Humm opens up about the fitness and recovery routine that keeps him energized throughout his bustling workdays.
If you weren’t aware of Daniel Humm’s outstanding culinary accolades, you might think — based on his workout regimen — that the Eleven Madison Park chef and owner is a professional athlete. (For the record, he did compete as a pro cyclist before leaving the sport in his mid-20s.)
These days, the Swiss-born New Yorker runs for an hour three to four mornings each week. He practices yoga twice weekly. He sees a personal trainer four to five times each week. To give further context: He ran the Boston Marathon for the first time this year and finished it in fewer than three hours. And he’s currently training for the 2024 race taking place next April.
During those same weeks, day in and day out, Humm is at the helm of the fine dining establishment once voted The World’s Best Restaurant, which also has three Michelin stars and four stars from the New York Times.
“There is a similar consuming drive when training, and a focus on technique and execution,” the 46-year-old says. “I was able to channel and approach cooking and working in a kitchen with the same mindset that I had as a professional athlete.”
