Comfort is key at the Daxton Hotel in Birmingham. Upon entry, the lobby boasts a well-lit space full of art on the walls and notably, a mechanical, golden horse. This sums up the feel of the Daxton – beautiful and sophisticated, yet unexpected. Past offering luxurious rooms for visitors and opulent spaces for joyous weddings, Madam, the Daxton’s in-house restaurant, prides itself in providing its guests with world class service and flavors.
“The menu at Madam is an eclectic mix of global influence and Americana,” Chef Rece Hogerheide, Executive chef of Madam, says. “Our focus is to represent the hearty midwestern palate while still trying to always bring something new to the table for our guests to experience.”
On the menu of Madam, there’s a wide variety of standout dishes, including Mushroom Dumplings and Forbidden Rice, as well as a completely house-made muffaletta. In fact, the muffaletta sandwich is such a favorite, that left on the pillow of each guest’s bed, is a small card introducing the components of the sandwich and an explanation of why Chef Hogerheide loves it so much. The bread is baked, the giardineria is pickled, and the meats are even cured at the Daxton for this savory, comforting sandwich.
To stock their kitchen, Madam works with a large network of local farmers and producers. According to Chef Hogerheide, the food and beverage menus change seasonally to provide the freshest of flavors for the guests. Madam chooses local sources not only as an opportunity to connect with the community, but also as part of their effort to be more sustainable. Madam is enrolled in the PLEDGE ™, an international initiative to help restaurants review their practices to reduce food waste in their kitchens.
“Being active in the PLEDGE™ program has been challenging – in a good way,” Chef Hogerheide says. “It takes a lot of diligence from our team internally all while pushing consumer education at the same time.”
Since they opened, Madam has focused on sustainability. As part of the program, Madam works with Make Food Not Waste and Food Rescue US- Detroit, along with a cohort of other participating Southeast Michigan restaurants to review their internal processes. Action plans are created to alleviate waste in the kitchens through assessing produce orders, brainstorming ways to use leftovers, as well as implementing industrial composting. Chef Hogerheide says that they already tracked every gram of food that comes in as well as what goes out, so they didn’t have to completely overhaul their operation for this program. Learn more about their commitment here.
“We are very fortunate to have a team that shares the same values and have made it very much a part of their day-to-day efforts,” Chef Hogerheide says. “It has helped strengthen our relationships with our vendors and guests alike knowing that we are dedicated to a great cause.”
Located in Downtown Birmingham, the Daxton offers walkable accommodations to local shops and restaurants. All are welcome to enjoy the comfortable atmosphere of Madam over a comforting meal or to sip a cocktail in the lobby bar under a golden geodesic dome.
“Having a focus on hyperlocal, mixed with amazing international inspiration, comes through in everything from the moment of arrival to the first sip of wine from our extensive catalogue to the perfectly paired meal; our experiences are thoughtful from start to finish,” Chef Hogerheide says. “Daxton and Madam have quickly curated something unique that have made us the shining jewel in not just Birmingham, Michigan, but a hospitality destination that a well-heeled, global traveler will embrace.”
Madam, at the Daxton Hotel , 298 S Old Woodward Ave, Birmingham, MI 48009
Emma Beauchamp is the Editor in Chief of Taste the Local Difference.
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