Two Michelin Institutions Align: The Modern and Eleven Madison Park

In New York City’s fine-dining world, opportunities are earned by those who can keep pace with excellence and remain calm under immense pressure. Of these few individuals in the culinary field, Chef Sia Kapoor is one whose energy, technical confidence, and adaptability set her apart from her peers. As a key member of the kitchen at The Modern, one of New York Cities highly acclaimed restaurants with two Michelin Stars, Chef Kapoor has demonstrated an ability to thrive in these environments while consistently exceeding the increasingly high standards of critically acclaimed restaurants and meaningfully contributing to the restaurant’s daily execution and reputation for refined, contemporary cuisine.

Chef Kapoor’s abilities were on full display during the 2025 Eleven Madison Park Alumni Series, a highly selective event hosted at the three Michelin Star restaurant Eleven Madison Park, one of the most influential restaurants in the world. Designed as an intimate, invitation-only dinner for just 30 guests, the event reflected the highest standards of modern gastronomy and brought together elite culinary talent in a setting where precision, creativity, and composure are essential.

One notable aspect of Chef Kapoor’s abilities is how seamlessly she assumes the position as a leader in the kitchen. Within only months of joining The Modern, she was personally selected as the only cook from the kitchen to represent the restaurant offsite, working directly alongside Thomas Allen, Executive Chef, and Sarah Hsieh, Chef de Cuisine. During the intense selection process Chef Kapoor set herself far above all chefs in the kitchen. Described as one of the most delicate and temperamental dishes in preparation and plating, the squash on top of a marinated avocado proved to be a key dish for the event. Chef Kapoor left everyone in awe of her beautiful plating -- manipulating the components to create beautiful, fine swirls that evoke the memory of a floral bouquet or forest of ivy -- an outstanding level of execution that exceeded the abilities of any other chef in the kitchen. She further refined her execution of this dish, reaching speeds that were crucial in enabling efficient guest service while maintaining the artistic presentation.

Throughout the entirety of this high-profile collaboration with Eleven Madison Park her role was incredibly significant. She was deeply involved in mise-en place preparation at The Modern, ensuring every component was executed to the restaurant’s exacting standards before transitioning to the offsite venue. During the live event at Eleven Madison Park, she took on an active role in ensuring every dish was uniform in its plating and creation. She led the plating and cooking of vegetables, toasting bread for the dish Seeds on Seeds on Seeds, a vegan option curated for this event which drew inspiration from The Modern’s signature dish Eggs on Eggs on Eggs. Execution of this dish was exceptionally important: it symbolized the marriage of these two distinguished kitchens in this event and demonstrated the creativity, versatility, and artistry of these chefs. In an intimate event of this scale, each cook’s contribution is magnified, and Chef Kapoor’s precision helped anchor the evening.

The excitement of the event was heightened by its fully vegan menu, developed in alignment with Eleven Madison Park’s globally influential plant-based philosophy. While The Modern is known for its versatility rather than an exclusively vegan focus, Chef Kapoor embraced the challenge with enthusiasm and curiosity. She worked hands-on with alternative proteins, innovative plant-based products, many of which were new to her, absorbing them quickly and executing them confidently under live service conditions. Her adaptability transformed the experience into a meaningful professional leap forward.

Chef Kapoor was an essential, hands-on contributor, entrusted with representing The Modern at a Michelin-level event where execution, trust, and teamwork are paramount. Her selection and performance underscore her growing stature within the kitchen and her ability to deliver under elite conditions. Her selection for such a prestigious engagement, combined with her strong performance, highlights her importance to The Modern and her capacity to play critical roles in distinguished culinary events. It was a night defined by creativity, precision, and joy in the craft and Chef Sia Kapoor was a crucial part of what made it shine.