MAE MAE CAFE BLOOMS AGAIN

By Great Performances

After  three years, Mae Mae Café is opening at a brand new location with a brand new theme–but with the same company behind the magic.

Located in the Mott Haven section of the South Bronx, Mae Mae reopens with a plant-based theme as Mae Mae Café + Plant Shop. Not only will we sell plants and plant-related goods, the café will feature a plant-based menu. The delicious Latin-inspired menu takes its roots from a project Great Performances participated in with students from the Bronx as part of The Bronx Private Industry Council (The Bronx PIC) initiative at Here-to-Here. Bronx students worked together to come up with ideas for better integrating Great Performances into the Bronx. Among their ideas was creating a food station that incorporated the flavors of the Bronx which has been adapted for the Mae Mae Café menu.

Doubling as a plant store, the café is decorated with a variety of plants that can also be purchased. A potting bench available for use is overseen by Gloria, one of our famous llamas,

Mae Mae Café + Plant Shop

2417 Third Avenue, Ground Floor

The Bronx, NY 10451

DELICIOUS RECIPES FOR THE SPRING HOLIDAYSo

By Great Performances

We celebrate all of life’s moments with food – and especially during the holidays. This month we’re observing Ramadan (Ramadan Mubarak!), Passover, and Easter among others. We’ve polled our GP family, including our friends over at Poster House, to get some of their family-favorite recipes.

From a fun spin on a hot dog from Liz to the truth about a beloved family dish from Jenell, we’re sure you’ll enjoy these recipes. We also have some recipes (including an award-winning one!) from our friends at Poster House, an incredible museum in Chelsea dedicated to the impact posters have had—and a beautiful venue for everything from corporate workshops to baby showers.

Let us know if you try any of these recipes at home! We’d love to see pictures and you can tag @GPFood on Instagram!

Char Grilled Baby Carrots

by Andrew Smith, Culinary Director

During the spring holidays I tend to look for something light that will work with all the holidays.

Ingredients

  • 17 ea baby carrots, grilled till cooked through approximately 10-12 minutes medium heat   
  • 1/3 cup chopped dill
  • 1 each fresh lemon juice and zest
  • 1 cup coconut milk yogurt (non-sweet)
  • 8 ea marigold flowers stem removed chopped
  • ¼ cup spiced almonds chopped ( agave, chili powder, cinnamon toss and bake 325 degrees 7 minutes)

Directions

Toss baby carrots in olive oil and salt to season. Then grill over a medium heat turning to avoid burning. Once cooked through place in mixing bowls with dill, lemon juice, lemon zest and chopped almonds. On a serving plater spread yogurt to create a bed for carrots and garnish with marigolds

Serves 6

Matzoh Dogs

by Liz Neumark

We have a weekly family tradition of preparing hot dogs for my father and my son. For Passover, we needed a Passover-friendly version of the traditional bun for the hot dog. And so, the matzoh hot dog entered the Neumark family cookbook!

Take a square of machine made matzoh and place it in a pan with water to cover the top (1/2“).

Press the matzoh between some paper towels so that it is pliable, damp and not too wet.

Take a hot dog and lightly spread some mustard around it. if you don’t like mustard, you can use some mayo or a little ketchup.

Roll the matzoh around the hot dog, like you are wrapping it in phyllo pastry, overlap it a little, then trim the extra for the next hot dog. The ‘pasty’ matzoh should form a snug blanket around the dog.

Heat a frying pan with grapeseed or vegetable oil – when you add the dog it will splatter so be ready.  Keep turning as it gets cooked and crispy.  Let the dog get hot inside too.

Enjoy with your favorite condiments!

Aunt Bev’s Noodle Pudding (aka Noodle Kugel)

by Jenell Cruickshank

Growing up I spent a lot of time with my Aunt Bev.  She always made the best food, typically Jamaican (oxtails, rice and peas, plantains, escovitch fish) for trips to the park, the beach, and most importantly the holidays. One thing in particular that we always looked forward to was her Noodle Pudding, this rich & creamy noodle concoction with just a little crunch on top amazing! No Mac and cheese needed on the dinner table when Aunt Bev’s noodle pudding was there! Everyone asks for seconds and takes a few slices home.

Unfortunately, Aunt Bev passed away but my mom carries on the tradition  making her Noodle Pudding for every holiday and It feels like a little part of her is still with us.

Once I started working in catering I realized Aunt Bev’s noodle pudding was her version of the very traditional Jewish dish Noodle Kugel ! it makes me giggle because all these years it was this magical recipe I thought she created herself. To my family it will always be Aunt Bev’s Noodle Pudding and look forward to having it this Easter Sunday 😊

Ingredients

For the Noodles:

  • 1 (8-ounce) package medium-wide egg noodles
  • 1 (16oz) package of sour cream  
  • 1 (8-ounce) package Philadelphia cream cheese
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • Sugar to taste
  • cinnamon or nutmeg to taste

For the Topping:

  • 1 1/2 cups cornflakes cereal, crushed
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Directions

  1. Gather the ingredients.00:46
  2. Heat the oven to 350 F. Butter a 9 x 13 x 2-inch (3-quart) baking dish.
  3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles according to the package directions until al dente. Drain well and set aside. 
  4. In a large bowl, beat together the sour cream, cream cheese, until smooth.
  5. Add the cream cheese mixture to the noodles.
  6. Add the vanilla & sugar make sure its well mixed.
  7. Pour into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. 

*** You can add raisins in the cream cheese mixture if you like.

Make the Topping and Bake

  1. Add crushed cereal on top of noodles
  2. Drizzle melted butter on top so all the cornflakes are covered.
  3. Bake in a heated oven for approximately 1 hour or until it is set in the center and golden on the bottom.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a rack for 15 to 20 minutes before cutting into squares to serve. 

Great Grandma's Passover Mandelbread

by Samantha Hirsch, Director of Education at Poster House

It’s not Passover without this mandelbread recipe! Similar to a biscotti, dipped in coffee it’s a treat that makes you forget it doesn’t have any flour in it!

Poster House is one of Great Performances’ newest venues. A hidden gem in Chelsea converge, it’s the first museum in the U.S. dedicated exclusively to posters. Poster House is dedicated to presenting the impact, culture, and design of posters, both as historical documents and methods of contemporary visual communication. The beautiful space is perfect for a variety of events from company workshops to baby showers and more!

Ingredients

  • 2C Sugar 
  • 1/2 C butter (softened) 
  • 6 Eggs 
  • 2 3/4 C Matzo Cake Meal 
  • 1/2 tsp. Salt 
  • 3/4 C Potato Starch 
  • Choc. Chips/Walnuts 
  • Optional mixing Sugar/Cinnamon Mixture for Topping 

Directions

Cream sugar and butter. Add eggs one at a time. Beat Well. Fold in the cake meal, salt, potato starch and add chocolate chips/nuts (if using). Mix well. On a greased/lined cookie sheet, spoon dough onto the sheet and form into 2 equal sized loaves about 2″ wide . Sprinkle with the cinnamon and sugar mixture and bake at 350* for 30-40 minutes.

Chess Pie

by Sarah Sloan, Shop Associate, Curatorial Assistant at Navy Yard, Poster House

Chess Pie is a classic Southern dessert that is often overlooked. My grandmother’s was award-winning. In 1990, she entered her recipe into the Crisco National Pie Contest and won the blue ribbon for Mississippi, landing her a spot in the national competition as well as the inclusion of her recipe in Crisco’s “Pies for All Seasons” cook book. However, we always ate this one at Easter! This pie is absolutely divine and thinking of it brings back so many fond memories.

Poster House is one of Great Performances’ newest venues. A hidden gem in Chelsea converge, it’s the first museum in the U.S. dedicated exclusively to posters. Poster House is dedicated to presenting the impact, culture, and design of posters, both as historical documents and methods of contemporary visual communication. The beautiful space is perfect for a variety of events from company workshops to baby showers and more!

Ingredients

10-inch Crust: 

  • 1 cup all purpose flour 
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt 
  • 6 tablespoons Crisco butter-flavored shortening 
  • 5 tablespoons ice cold water

Filling: 

  • 3 cups sugar 
  • 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened 
  • 5 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 3 tablespoons cornmeal 
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla 
  • 1 cup milk 

Directions

  1. For crust: Place flour, salt, and Crisco in a bowl. Mix with fork until the consistency of cornmeal. Add water one tablespoon at a time, until pastry follows fork around the bowl leaving bowl almost clean. Place dough ball on rolling board, shape into flattened ball. Roll until pastry is two inches larger than inverted pie plate. Place sheet in greased pie plate. Work out air pockets and press into plate. Trim edges. Cut tiny leaves from rolled pastry scraps and overlap around edge or flute. Do not bake. Heat oven to 325 degrees fahrenheit. 
  2. For filling: Combine sugar and butter in large bowl. Beat at low speed of electric mixer until blended. Beat in eggs, cornmeal, vanilla and salt. Add milk. Beat at low speed until blended. Pour into unbaked pie crust. 
  3. Bake at 325 degrees fahrenheit for 1 hour 20 minutes or until filling is set. Cover edge of pie with foil, if necessary, to prevent overbrowning. Cool to room temperature before serving. Refrigerate leftover pie.

CELEBRATING 30 YEARS AT WAVE HILL

By Liz Neumark

1992 was a big year.

It was the year we moved into our new kitchen on the corner of Spring & Hudson in historic the Printing District; a transition that ushered in a period of growth and excitement for GP.  Our ground floor lease was $12/square foot. Our new landlord, Trinity Real Estate, welcomed us and it was the beginning of a decades long and deep relationship. 

It was the year my second child was born.  Katie arrived 2 days after the start of Spring, after about 2 short hours of labor.  A young person in a rush.  (She hasn’t slowed down since.)

1992 was the year we signed our first exclusive contract with a cultural institution: Wave Hill, New York’s most beautiful, yet least known, botanical garden. 

It was a match made in heaven!  We fell in love with all 28 acres of historic houses, gardens, scenic pathways, greenhouses and magnificent trees.  When thinking about a garden, one imagines it is most beautiful in peak season, fully in bloom surrounded by lush summer greens.  We learned to appreciate the exquisite beauty of all four seasons, each so distinctive and unique.

I brought my kids to Wave Hill countless weekends as it became our NYC backyard.  Where else could children run around barefoot in the grass or wander off to explore a secret garden or count the koi in the Aquatic Gardens. (I knew the café food would be delicious!)  We built snowmen, learned the names of the first flowers of spring, collected leaves, rain under sprinklers and enjoyed the family art projects.

We have been operating the café and catering events on site for 30 years.  My love for the gardens and the Wave Hill mission of sustainability, inclusion and education continues to grow as Wave Hill continues to evolve.  Although the pandemic shuttered Wave Hill in March 2020, it was one of the first cultural institutions to reopen that summer, welcoming New Yorkers starved for space and nature to its grounds.

It is hard to believe that 30 years have passed since we received the call “We selected you!”.  Wave Hill has set the standards by which we conduct our partnerships; with deep mutual respect, never taking relationships for granted, a shared commitment to continued investment and innovation – and a celebration of mission, life and our city.  

GP ARTISTS - UPCOMING EVENTS

Our Great Performances Artists have been busy! Check out some of their creative and artistic endeavors below!

ASHTON HEYL

Egg Party, a short film I co-wrote and acted in, will have its World Premiere at Cinequest Film Festival. The Festival runs March 20th-30th, and tickets are 99 cents to view any time during that period. Tickets are at https://creatics.org/cinejoy, and our website with a trailer to the film is www.eggpartyfilm.com. We were also awarded the Panavision New Filmmaker Award to make the film. The Story: In late spring, six powerhouse women gather together in a Brooklyn apartment for a not-so-sober egg decorating party to support one of their own struggling with fertility. As the afternoon unfolds, the strength of their laughter and friendship creates new birth.

JENNIFER HIEMSTRA

Will be performing in a choral concert with Ember Choral Arts on March 26-27th with musical messages of bridging divides, and later this summer will be joining the U.S. Army as a vocalist in their Regional Band career field!

KEVIN HORNE

I have a TikTok account that features all things New York City. While part of GP’s delivery teams for the Get Food NYC project during the first 7 months of the pandemic. I became fascinated with the outdoor seating areas that restaurants were building. There seemed to be no way for people to know what a given restaurant was building, so I showcased local businesses. It’s since grown into a channel featuring anything and everything about this wonderful city we call home. I post to other social media, but TikTok is where my audience is- 56K and growing!
@nightwindnyc Grand Central Terminal #nyc #newyorkcity #newyork #manhattan #midtown #trains #grandcentral #travel #tourism #trains ♬ Bright company background music - TimTaj

DANIEL LERNER

I just released my new single in anticipation of my upcoming EP (due later in 2022). The single is called Harvest the Moon. https://fanlink.to/htm.

JEROME BROOKS JR

Composer & Performer

Playlist

2 Videos

I was a 2021 #CityArtistCorps Grant recipient for my original musical. Since I want to also create opportunities for fellow GP Actors to perform I cast Philip Eng in one of the roles and the 1 night event presentation was SOLD OUT. SOCIAL DISTANCE Musical follows a week amidst the Coronavirus where four multiethnic New York artist friends unite via technology while in quarantine at the start of the pandemic: a black musician, a Chinese gamer, a South East Asian medical student and a BIPOC Social Media Influencer. In the spirit of Lieber and Stoller, Ain’t Misbehavin, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Songs for a New World, SOCIAL DISTANCE is a sung through musical . The presentation took place at the OFF-Broadway PLAYERS THEATRE Oct. 27th, 2021 This is a link to the Broadway World Article: https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Musical-Theatre-Composer-Jerome-Brooks-Jr-Recognized-with-City-Artists-Corp-Grant-20210909 These are the social media links to relive the show with hopes it will progress to a possible bigger opportunity for all involved🤞🏾

ADDITIONAL LINKS

Personal / Professional

Other

Musical

RETURN TO OFFICE TRENDS: BUILDING MORALE AND HELPING EMPLOYEES FEEL WELCOME

By Great Performances

The second anniversary of New York’s “Stay at Home” order is rapidly approaching and with vaccination rates increasing, Covid numbers declining, and mask mandates lifting, a full return to the office is right around the corner (if it hasn’t already happened).

Working from home was an adjustment and we learned to navigate a different type of home office: sharing our space with kids and partners, juggling our meetings with kids’ online school schedules; hopping from one video call to another (remembering to mute/unmute), and moving less as our commutes became those steps between different rooms or sections of our homes.

Although we’ve all adjusted and adapted, we’ve missed a lot of things that we took for granted while we worked in an office. At GP, although we’ve been busy working and attending events, we haven’t been in the office as regularly and as frequently as we were accustomed to pre-pandemic. We deeply felt this during our holiday party that we celebrated at Wollman Rink, and it was energizing to once more feel the connection, warmth, laughter, and camaraderie that only comes from being physically together.

As we work with our clients who are planning their Return to Office dates and activities, there are several themes that we’re noticing.

  1. Welcome Back Moments – as employees come back to the office, we’re working with their human resources and facilities teams to create some hospitality moments to help people feel welcome and comfortable. From delicious treats with a note on their desks to welcome back breakfasts, coffee breaks, and happy hours, these small moments help create joy and are an easy way to encourage people to come together.
  2. Providing Meals – a growing trend for a number of organizations is providing meal options in the office for their employees. We offer a variety of solutions from catered breakfasts, lunches, and snacks to full service in-house dining solutions, our Workplace Dining Program. (Read more about the top trends in workplace dining and what your employees are looking for here)
  3. Team Building – executive and human resources teams are recognizing that despite the internet-connectedness of the pandemic, team dynamics have changed. We’ve been working closely with some Fortune 500 companies to help plan team building events, from traditional team building events to volunteer days. Check out some of our favorite team building locations!

All of these are designed to lift morale, create buzz and engagement, and add a hospitality flair to what could be a mundane or even dreaded event. And of course, no gathering of people would be complete without food!

Ready to plan your event? Complete the form below and one of our event planners will reach out to you shortly!

WORKPLACE AND CORPORATE DINING FOOD TRENDS: WHAT EMPLOYEES WANT

By Great Performances

We work across dozens of organizations in the New York area providing food and dining solutions that range from catered events (e.g., breakfasts, lunches, board meetings, cocktail receptions) to creating full-service office dining solutions to keep teams nourished from breakfast through happy hour.


More than that just providing food, we’ve developed a robust amenities program to keep our clients and guests engaged and excited. Gone are the days of the “school lunch” style of food programming with the same set of meals rotated endlessly, regardless of season.


Alongside carefully thought out stations, our amenities include Pop!, events and activations that create special moments throughout the space and the day; Food Festivals, our monthly celebrations of seasonal, local produce; People’s Kitchen, our guest chef program; Embrace: Wellness, our wellness program focusing on food and health; and Katchkie Farm, our NOFA-certified organic farm in upstate New York, a source of inspiration and ingredients for our chefs and provider of our Workplace CSA program.


No solution that we implement is alike, but there are common themes we’re hearing from our clients and our guest through surveys, general feedback, and meetings.

Variety

Our guests have diverse palates and they actively seek out new flavors, dishes, and cuisines. They not interested in the standard “school lunch” style of food service; instead, they’re looking for delicious variety and excitement. From Bowling Greens, our salad station which features seasonal produce, including from Katchkie Farm, our organic farm in upstate New York, to People’s Kitchen, our guest chef program, we bring a wide variety of flavors to our diners.

Our experiences over four decades have also informed our development of the right menu selections for the appropriate group of guests. We set trends and follow them. We are attuned to the range of preferences within a population at a single company or at an event.

Comfort

Like our great city, each body of guests within our workplace partnerships contains a vast number of cultures, tastes, and preferences. Commonly requested cuisines can range from Mexican and Italian to Indian and Kosher, with many of the requested foods being described as “comfort food”. And while that term may not point to the same cuisine for everyone, it drives home a very important point: guests want to be comforted by the food they are served during lunch.

Classic comfort dishes rotate throughout our menus and include standards like Chicken Parmesan and Butter Chicken Curry, and more modern interpretations including Korean Fried Chicken Sandwiches and Eggplant Chermoula.

Guest Chefs

We live and work in a culturally diverse city. Our guests want flavors that represent their backgrounds and cultures and they’re looking for ways to travel to different places through food. And so we’ve developed People’s Kitchen, our guest chef program.

Originally a way to support local businesses and bring new flavors into our spaces, People’s Kitchen, led by Georgette Farkas, our culinary ambassador, has evolved into a comprehensive program through which we partner with chefs and restaurants across the greater New York City area. We feature several each month, sharing not just their food, but their story, background, and restaurant. Through this program we’ve been able to support local restaurants like Thaimee Love, Madame Vo, Hudson Smokehouse BBQ, Mimi Cheng’s, Awadh, Tanoreen, and so many others.

Excitement

An element of fun and excitement were also among our guests’ requests. We’re all familiar with water cooler conversation; imagine how much more buzz and conversation there will be with a more fun central gathering point. With Pop!, we create unique “pop up” experiences designed to give our guests an exciting opportunity to interact with their food. These include chef-manned stations where we offer made-to-order items like omelets or smoothies in the morning; tacos for Taco Tuesday; or even customized popcorn in the afternoon. We also partner with vendors to bring in fresh specialty items like churros by La NewYorkina; custom bubble teas by Yaya Tea; and cotton candy by fluff + fluff. We’ve even built custom candy “shops” and DIY trail mix stations. The possibilities are endless and create a lot of buzz in the office, giving everyone a chance to participate and connect.

Wellness

Guests are becoming increasingly conscious of the foods they put into their bodies. They’re looking for meals that fit within their nutrition preferences and requirements while maintaining the deliciousness for which Great Performances is known.

We created Embrace Wellness, our health and wellness program led by registered dietician nutritionist Emilia Sochovka, MS, RDN, CPT. Working with our workplace venues and our culinary team, Emilia helps ensure that the menu-writing process includes healthy, well-thought dishes designed to nourish our bodies so that our guests can feel healthy, happy, and energized. She also shares content, leads pop ups, and creates recipes for guests to enjoy.

Nourish Employee Engagement

Learn more about Workplace Dining Solutions by Great Performances
Click Here

CHEF INTERVIEW: AUZERAIS BELLAMY, BLONDERY

By Georgette Farkas

Have you had a culinary mentor, and if so, what is the most meaningful lesson learned from her/him?
All my past employers have mentored me. The most prominent was Pastry Chef Leena Hung at Wente vineyards in Livermore, California. At the time, I thought she was so tough, but I learned it was from a place of caring. I learned that “Yes, Chef” was the right response in the moment. When a hot tray is coming out of the oven, it’s not a time to question the chef. She enabled me to develop structure in my career. It’s carried me from my fine dining career through to my role as an entrepreneur.

Have there been unexpected twists or turns in your culinary life that have changed your career direction?
The biggest shift came when I was at Bouchon in Yountville. There was an earthquake that destroyed my apartment and prompted me to move to NYC. I was offered a lateral move to Bouchon at Rockefeller Center. While it was the same company, it made for a change of pace and scenery. It also made for a new challenge in terms of being a new boss overseeing a new team. I had really wanted to transfer to the kitchen at Per Se. When I hit a ceiling, that provided the impetus to make my move.

It ingrained into my being staying focused on my goal, no matter what. I had a craving to be my own boss, to formulate and execute my own ideas and also allow others to do so. I took the leap, not unlike other black people who have been making lemonade out of lemons for centuries. It’s just what we do naturally. In thinking about my own business, I saw a gap in two areas. Fine dining at home via subscription services lacked quality desserts. And there were not many women of color in leadership positions in the industry. I fused those two to create Blondery.

What is your first or favorite food memory?
It’s what inspired Blondery. A lady in my parent’s church in the Bay area brought us New Orleans style pecan pralines. It was as though I had tasted them before, even though I hadn’t. It tasted like love, butter, and pecans, unlike anything else. It was the inspiration for my pecan and slated caramel blondy.

What is your favorite dish to make at home for family or friends?
I love to make braised short ribs.  It’s a time intensive process. They fall off the bone and everyone loves them. My secret is blending dried shitake mushrooms and anchovy into my braising liquid for intense flavor.

When cooking at home, are there things you are willing to buy versus making yourself?
On my Instagram account I feature items I find at Whole Foods. Crispy Chili Crunch and spicy mayonnaise are great examples. Any type of high-quality condiment is worth spending money on.

Share your favorite drink pairing with your favorite Blondery item.
Malbeq with my Brooklyn Black Out Blondy. Demi Sec sparkling wine with my cinnamon sugar blondy.

How do you unwind from the pressures of the baking business?
I’m an avid reader, especially of self help books. Now, I’m reading  All About Love by bell hooks.

I love to play with my puppy, Caviar. I’ve also just re-started weight training, which isa great way to prepare for lifting heavy sacks of flour and sugar in the kitchen.

 

We’ve partnered with Auzerais to provide our guests with some of her incredibly unique blondies and brownies. Read more here.

CHEF INTERVIEW: JJ JOHNSON, FIELDTRIP

By Georgette Farkas

Founded in 2019 by Chef JJ Johnson, FIELDTRIP is a community-based dining experience that celebrates culture through the shared experience of rice. For us, rice is a journey to new parts of the globe. Our mantra, “Rice is Culture”, was born out of Chef JJ’s realization that rice connects us and can be found at the center of tables in almost every community. 

About JJ Johnson
JJ Johnson is a James Beard Award-winning chef and author best known for his barrier-breaking cuisine featured at his restaurant FIELDTRIP with locations in New York City. FIELDTRIP showcases sustainable ingredients with creative, heirloom rice dishes as the focal point of the menu and was featured as one of Esquire Magazine’s “Best New Restaurants” of 2020. JJ is also a television host on Just Eats with Chef JJ airing on TV One’s network Cleo TV for a fourth season.

Have you had a culinary mentor, and if so, what is the most meaningful lesson learned from her/him?
I’ve had a lot of different mentors over the course of my career. Right now, the two that come to mind are Ed Brown, CEO of Restaurant Associates, and Brian Ellis, Executive Chef and VP of Culinary at The Smith. Brian taught me that people come for the food. It’s my job to make sure it’s delicious every time. Ed taught me things don’t happen overnight. I have to trust the journey I’m on.

Have there been unexpected twists or turns in your culinary life that have changed your career direction?
Sure, but I don’t look at them like that. It’s all part of the process. I didn’t dream of opening a fast casual concept, but as you grow and develop in the industry you start to recognize your niche and you find the need. That’s what happened to me. Looking back, I can trace everything and see how it was leading me here.

What is your first or favorite food memory?
One of my first food memories is eating arroz con gandules with my Grandmom. My first vivid cooking memory is making lasagna for my aunt’s birthday. I burned it.

What is your favorite dish to make at home for family or friends?
My kids love steak. I like to make them bone-in ribeye in the cast iron. I extract all that flavor and I give the bone to my dog afterwards. I like to serve the steak with tomato seasoned rice, mashed potatoes and a salad with feta and red onions. When I’m cooking at home it’s all about seasonality and locality. This year I made fish for Thanksgiving because we were in Rhode Island. No matter what, we always have rice on the table.

Is there an ingredient that is your unsung hero in the kitchen?
Lemon zest. It brightens any dish. I put it on everything: sweet and savory.

When cooking at home, are there things you are willing to buy versus making yourself?
I’m always going to buy ketchup. Heinz!

Share your favorite drink pairing with your favorite FIELDTRIP menu item.
I pair Maison Marcel rosé with our salmon bowl. I love to have pineapple soda with the shrimp bowl and Enroot strawberry hibiscus tea goes great with the braised beef bowl. We also have a selection of sake available at FIELDTRIP Harlem.

How do you unwind from the pressures of the business?
I like to check in with myself and indulge in a little wellness. I work out. I get acupuncture. Anything to maintain a healthy mind and body.

OUR SPECIAL VALENTINES - HOW WE CELEBRATE AT HOME

Even at home and off the clock, food is love for us at Great Performances. Love Happens Around Food®

Some of our colleagues have shared the food and drink that have become part of their Valentine’s Day traditions.

For more inspiration, check out this menu created by Georgette Farkas!

 

The gift of time — and a heart-healthy meal

Emilia Sochovka, MS, RDN, CPT, Embrace Wellness

The most precious gift is time. For Valentine’s Day, I plan to make my husband a heart-healthy meal with hummus made from dried chickpeas, which can feel labor intensive but is so worth it. I do not use an exact recipe but here’s the gist. Soak dried chickpeas in a lot of water overnight (expect they will triple in size once cooked). Drain the chickpeas and boil them in fresh water until they are tender, about 45 minutes to an hour. Remove the chickpea skins by rubbing them with sturdy paper towels. Blend chickpeas in a food processor with tahini, lemon juice and salt. While blending the ingredients, drizzle in very cold water until the hummus reaches desired consistency. As recommended by chef and cookbook author Yotam Ottolenghi, don’t skip this step – the cold water transforms the hummus so it’s extra creamy. Taste until it’s just right! Serve hummus with sautéed mushrooms, a drizzle of olive oil and a dash of paprika, plus whole wheat pita and a salad on the side. 

Easy and meaty followed by something sweet

Patrice Marrett, Venue Chef

For loved ones, if I am cooking, I like to make something easy and meaty and something sweet. Ribeye Steak, herb mash potato, with a lovely herb compound butter is easy and to the point. For sweet, I stick to my go-to olive oil cake with a lofty dollop of homemade whip cream and fresh strawberries. And don’t forget the vino!

Valentine’s Day Martini

Tim Berryman, Director of Event Services

I make a Valentine’s Day Martini for my partner – highly recommended!

  • 1oz Vodka
  • 1oz Chambord
  • 1oz Grand Marnier
  • 1oz Cranberry Juice
  • 1 dash of bitters (berry if you have them!)

Shake and serve up.

Oysters and Martinis

Lauren Bivona

There’s true romance in a dinner date, on any day of the year. We choose the place, we choose the meal, and we choose the person sitting across the table from us to share it with. There’s incredible intimacy in an experience like that, especially when you’re both enthusiastic about the food. 

On Valentine’s Day, my girlfriend and I always stick with a dinner date that involves things we both love. Thankfully, our food tastes and curiosity to try new things align across the board, otherwise there would be no hope for a relationship (just kidding). We do not have an official yearly tradition, but one example of a perfect meal together definitely includes fresh oysters and some proper martinis. So simple, as many of the best things in life are, and so intensely satisfying when done right. It’s like everything majestic about the ocean, crammed into this tiny delicious bite. Pairing these beauties with a classic cocktail, like a martini, really enhances the experience. And most importantly, sharing a meal like this with somebody who loves it in the same way, is the recipe for a perfect night.