Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Hidden upstairs from New York's legendary 11 Madison Park—the three-Michelin-star restaurant that was ranked #1 in the world—lies Clemente Bar and The Studio, two intimate spaces redefining what plant-based hospitality can be. Named after Italian artist Francesco Clemente, whose vibrant works fill the walls, this cocktail lounge pushes boundaries with fermentation, upcycling, and a year of R&D.
Led by beverage director Sebastien Tollius and bar manager Richie Millwater, the team transforms kitchen byproducts—plantain skins, pretzel powder, bruised fruit—into complex ingredients like pretzel miso and plantain miso. The result? Cocktails like the Real Talk, featuring coffee bourbon, pretzel miso, and Amazake (fermented sweet rice), and a "vodka martini" made entirely without alcohol. The Studio offers an omakase-style experience where bartenders and chefs prepare a five-course plant-based tasting menu with cocktail pairings right before your eyes.
This isn't just sustainability theater—it's proof that you can leave a bar completely satisfied without realizing there wasn't a single animal product in sight.
0:00 Intro
0:47 Chef Daniel Humm's Plant-Based Vision
2:00 Francesco Clemente: Art Meets Identity
3:38 Sustainability Through Fermentation & Upcycling
5:05 The Studio: Omakase-Style Plant-Based Dining
6:26 The Goal: You Don't Even Notice It's Plant-Based
7:03 Spirit-Free Cocktails Done Right
8:10 Walking Into the Unknown: The Clementine Experience
8:51 A New Chapter for 11 Madison Park
Connect with Cheddar!
On Facebook: facebook.com/cheddar
On Instagram: instagram.com/cheddar
On the web: cheddar.com
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Hidden upstairs from New York's legendary 11 Madison Park—the three-Michelin-star restaurant that was ranked #1 in the world—lies Clemente Bar and The Studio, two intimate spaces redefining what plant-based hospitality can be. Named after Italian artist Francesco Clemente, whose vibrant works fill the walls, this cocktail lounge pushes boundaries with fermentation, upcycling, and a year of R&D.
Led by beverage director Sebastien Tollius and bar manager Richie Millwater, the team transforms kitchen byproducts—plantain skins, pretzel powder, bruised fruit—into complex ingredients like pretzel miso and plantain miso. The result? Cocktails like the Real Talk, featuring coffee bourbon, pretzel miso, and Amazake (fermented sweet rice), and a "vodka martini" made entirely without alcohol. The Studio offers an omakase-style experience where bartenders and chefs prepare a five-course plant-based tasting menu with cocktail pairings right before your eyes.
This isn't just sustainability theater—it's proof that you can leave a bar completely satisfied without realizing there wasn't a single animal product in sight.
0:00 Intro
0:47 Chef Daniel Humm's Plant-Based Vision
2:00 Francesco Clemente: Art Meets Identity
3:38 Sustainability Through Fermentation & Upcycling
5:05 The Studio: Omakase-Style Plant-Based Dining
6:26 The Goal: You Don't Even Notice It's Plant-Based
7:03 Spirit-Free Cocktails Done Right
8:10 Walking Into the Unknown: The Clementine Experience
8:51 A New Chapter for 11 Madison Park
Connect with Cheddar!
On Facebook: facebook.com/cheddar
On Instagram: instagram.com/cheddar
On the web: cheddar.com
In your inbox: need2know.cheddar.com/subscribe
