The Mother of All Plants: Why We’re Using Algae Oil In Our Kitchen
At Eleven Madison Park and Clemente Bar, we know that the choices we make in the kitchen have the potential to make a real impact on our restaurant’s sustainability. Over the last year, we’ve been exploring a new ingredient that we’re excited to bring into broader use: algae oil.
Building on Chef Daniel Humm’s work with Algae Cooking Club, we’re now in the process of replacing most of our traditional vegetable oils with algae oil — a neutral, high-performing cooking oil that’s better for the environment and incredibly versatile in the kitchen.
Artichoke Fried with Green Garlic and Alyssum Blooms – Spring 2025
Why are we making this change?
Cooking oil is something we use every day, in almost every dish, but it’s also something that hasn’t evolved much in recent years. When we were introduced to algae oil, it made immediate sense. It performs amazingly in the kitchen, and it comes with tangible sustainability benefits.
What are the sustainability advantages of algae oil?
It can be produced with significantly less land and water than most vegetable oils.
About 87% less land than canola, and 90% less than soybean.
Around 88% less water than palm oil, and 90% less than sunflower.
It has half the carbon footprint of canola oil.
It has a longer shelf life than most alternatives due to its purity and oxidative stability, leading to less waste.
It’s made through a closed fermentation process, which means it’s not vulnerable to the same climate-related disruptions that affect many crops.
How is algae oil made?
Microalgae — one of the planet’s original oil producers — is grown in temperature-controlled steel fermentation tanks. It reproduces quickly and doesn’t require farmland or pesticides. Once harvested, the oil is expeller-pressed (not chemically extracted), preserving both purity and quality.
What does it taste like?
Algae oil has an extremely neutral profile, which makes it well-suited for a wide range of uses — from frying and sautéing to dressings, infusions, and emulsions. Its high smoke point (535°F) also means we can cook at high temperatures without imparting a burnt or “off” flavor.
Other Oils in Our Kitchen
Though it’s now our go-to for most applications, algae oil is not the only oil that we use. You’ll still find cold-pressed sunflower, olive, sesame, and coconut oils in our kitchen — some of which we make in-house, like the sunflower oil used in our butter.
Lettuce & Pea Celebration – Spring 2025
Where can I try Algae Oil?
You can find it in almost every dish on our menu in some shape or form — from the herb vinaigrette in the celebration course to the shiso aioli in the asparagus dish to the oil we use to tempura fry the artichoke course.
If you’d like to try it in your cooking at home, you can also find the all-purpose algae cooking oil and infused oils at Eleven Madison Home.