By Great Performances
After several years of stops and starts and stops again, we’ve been delighted to fill our days with planning and running events for many of our long-time clients at a variety of venues. This past May, we were especially thrilled to execute an event for a health network who hosted their first inaugural black tie celebration and fundraiser at The Glasshouse, one of the most stunning event spaces in New York City. With almost 1,000 people in attendance, it’s an event that they won’t forget – with foods they’ll crave – for a long time.
Guests’ eyes were delighted at every turn as they took in the scenery of the Manhattan skyline, the Hudson River, and beyond; and as they viewed the delectable food on display on trays being passed by our team, at stations, and at chef showcases.
An objective for the event was to encourage mingling and guest interaction, a trend we’ve been observing for the better part of the year. Many organizations are trying to find ways to reduce the time guests spend locked down at a table, instead looking for ways to get guests moving and mingling. Food and beverage stations spread out across the space provided natural cues to encourage guests to move around, explore the space, and engage with others.
It’s an acknowledged truth that we eat with our eyes first, and we pulled out all the stops for this event, serving a variety of passed hors d’oeuvres, setting up multiple stations across the space, and creating intimate, engaging vignettes with our Atelier Stations. From fun presentations of comfort foods like shrimp and grits and spaghetti and meatballs to decadent delights like foie gras, lobster tails, and truffles, we had something for everyone.
Read on to explore the space and vicariously enjoy our food through photos.
Recently opened in 2021, The Glasshouse is the perfect venue for large, high-end events. Located on 12th Avenue between 48th and 49th Streets, Glasshouse features panoramic views of Manhattan, the Hudson River, and beyond from two event terraces, private terraces off their Green Rooms, and the floor-to-ceiling windows throughout the space. State-of-the-art technology for lighting, audio, and video support all visual and audio effects, including a premium experience for entertainment and private concerts. Additionally, the space has the infrastructure for enhanced installations including video walls, step & repeats, and more.
With 75,000 square feet of space and capacity for 1,850 people, the spaces are configurable to allow for varying room sizes and shapes. Truly, an event planner’s dream.
Cater waiters dressed in black processed throughout the space carrying our custom made Busker Trays containing delicious bites of BBQ Shrimp and Poblano Peppers on a Stone Ground Grit Cake. Our chefs turned homestyle comfort foods like shrimp and grits and the spaghetti and meatballs into eye catching bites; created vegan and gluten free hors d’oeuvres like our Habanero Smoked Tofu Tacos on Watermelon Radish Bites that were anything but bland; and created fun plays on dishes like our twist on a classic PBJ with Hudson Valley Foie Gras, Pistachio Butter, and Sour Cherry Preserves and our Duck Rillette Fritter with Cranberry Port Jam on a Rosemary Skewer.
Bright bold flavors, comfort food made luxurious, and decadent bites that hit every taste bad came with enough variety to satisfy a variety of dietary preferences from vegan to gluten free to keto.
Strategically spaced throughout the venue, our themed stations captured global flavors and featured regional favorites with a Great Performances twist.
Our Carving Station featured an assortment of carved-to-order meats with accompanying sauces and sides
Our Pinxtos Station featured flavors of Northern Spain and the Basque region
Our Seafood Station brought delicacies from the seas and oceans prepared in a variety of styles
Tuscan Station transported us to the sun-soaked hill towns of Italy
We featured four showcase stations – our Atelier Stations – that allowed our chefs to create made-to-order luxurious dishes. Our chefs demonstrated their great skill, precision, and attention to detail as they crafted their dishes.
And of course, what meal is complete without a Dessert Station that offered sweet and savory treats
We also invited a few of our favorite partners to join us and share their specialty desserts: La Newyorkina with their famous paletitas and Fluff n Fluff with their playful and dramatic cotton candy.
By Great Performances
Katchkie Farm has served as a source of inspiration and ingredients for our chefs for decades. Our chefs have visited the farm, getting the opportunity to get their hands in the dirt to connect with the land, taste the vegetables ripening on the stem and vine, and then receive truck loads of produce that they incorporated into their menus. Long time customers and clients are well familiar with our farm fare, which ran the gamut from beet chips and beet ketchup to tomato soup and tomato ketchup — and so much more!
This year, however, is an incredibly special year. Not only because we’ve expanded our CSA (if you haven’t signed up, this is your last chance, visit the link here: https://www.katchkiefarm.com/csa), but because Farmer Jon and Chef Andrew have sown the seeds for an even stronger connection between the farm and the kitchen. Pun intended.
Over the winter months, Chef Andrew and Farmer Jon poured over seed catalogs and discussed various vegetables and herbs and found the intersection between what would grow well on the farm, what we could use in our menus, and what are the items that are more unusual and difficult to find in stores.
What a boon to all of us! At the CSA we’ve been enjoying an even wider variety of produce. And once the crops really begin coming in, we’ll see a host of exciting new flavors and featured vegetables. Read on to learn more from Farmer Jon and Chef Andrew and get a sneak peek of the crops being raised.
Chef Andrew recently spoke to us about his passion for vegetables and all things we could grow on the farm. This year, he’s especially enthusiastic about collaborating with Farmer Jon to select some of the crops that will be grown that will directly support his creative direction for Great Performances! And example he shared was growing basil (we’re growing four varieties – Siracusa, Thai Lemon, Holy, and Sweet Thai) for use both fresh and dried. Chef Andrew is planning on drying and preserving some of the basil to use in one of his dishes for the fall, which will use Katchkie Farm winter squash along with the dried basil to create a delicious dish for our guests.
He’s also looking forward to getting some produce that’s harder to find through traditional channels and that will put a distinctive note to dishes on our menus.
From Farmer Jon:
The first time I met Chef Andrew was at the Farm Dinner last July. A conversation ensued on that hot summer day about all things related to food. Chef Andrew began describing the flavor attributes of the different mints, basils, and the beauty that can be brought to the plate with the plethora of heirloom vegetables. A love for growing these more eclectic crops was sown many years ago. Now there was an opportunity to further engage with all of the subtlety and variations expressed in the delicate flavors and rich hues of these plants.
Little by little we worked our way through to choose over 100 varieties to grow for GP this growing season. There are purple and white striped snap beans, flowering amaranth, golden beets, an orchestra of tomatoes and just about everything in between. Many of which will also be found in CSA bags this year!
As a grower, consistency is usually paramount, but this is rare opportunity in which flavor, color and beauty take precedent. This is truly a one-of-a-kind opportunity! I hope you all enjoy!
So far this summer, we’ve seen the outcome of this most directly in our CSA bags which have contained Purple Scallions, Bel Fiore Radicchio, and Purple Sprouting Broccoli among many other treats.
Check out our CSA – it’s not too late to join us! – by visiting our website here: www.katchkiefarm.com/csa
By Great Performances
We live our passion for hospitality, food, and drink every day at Great Performances – in our office, our venues, and we even take our work home with us! We reached out to some of our venue managers to find out what drinks they enjoy during the summer. We had a few requirements: it had to be something that could be made in a large batch to satisfy a crowd; that could stand alone as a zero-proof cocktail and would be equally delicious and refreshing with a common liquor; and that had a unique twist.
Two of our favorite venue managers, Tainá Alves (General Manager at Dizzy’s Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center) and Kato Oppenhim (Venue Manager at Poster House) sent us two incredible cocktails. Give them a try and let us know what you think!
From: Taina Alves, General Manager, Dizzy’s Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center
Why we love it: the ginger and black pepper along with the lime cut through the sweetness, adding a welcome bite. You can easily adjust the sweetness by adding an extra squeeze of lime or an extra splash of soda water. Although the syrups take some time to prepare, they’ll store well in the fridge and can be used in a variety of drinks including hot and iced coffee or tea. We always recommend making a double batch of the ginger syrup.
Ingredients
Ginger Syrup
Vanilla Black Pepper Syrup
Pineapple Ginger Cooler
Garnishes (optional)
From: Kato Oppenheim, Venue Manager, The Poster House
Why we love it: I love limeade variations and am constantly experimenting with syrups and flavors. I usually like stronger flavor profiles, and this one is easily adaptable. I typically increase measurements for certain ingredients like the sourness of the lime (lime juice) and the floral of the lavender (lavender buds in syrup).
The pea flower isn’t intended to be highlighting its blue/purple notes, but it’ll make the matcha look a lighter green rather than a dark and murky green.
Lavender Simple Syrup
Sparkling Matcha Lavender Lemonade
Garnishes (optional)
For the Lavender Simple Syrup (quick method)
Prepared Matcha
For the Sparkling Matcha Lavender Lemonade
Notes
My version of hummus stands apart as I blanch the garlic. The following recipe is adapted from Ottolenghi, with my addition of greens.
While the version below is made with blanched peas, parsley and fennel fronds, I often make it with any greens I happen to have on hand, but usually include some herbs. Thanks to my recent Katchkie Farm CSA , I made a green version with beet greens, scallions (green part only) and parsley. Blanch the greens, shock in ice water, drain well and then purée. For the recipe below use about a cup of blanched greens and/ or herbs.
OPTIONAL
NOTE: use any combination of beet, carrot or turnip tops,
For Anastassia Batsoula-Deuel, making pelmeni is more than just cooking—it’s a cherished family tradition. She grew up rolling out these hearty Russian dumplings alongside her mother and grandmother, filling the kitchen with warmth and conversation. Now, she hopes to pass the tradition on to her little one, sharing the joy of homemade comfort food, one bite at a time.
As we look ahead to the fresh flavors of Spring, Chef Tatiana Iglesias shares her Fresh Sprout & Herb Salad recipe.
We’re beckoning Spring this month by highlighting the delightfully mild Spring Garlic in a creamy Spring Garlic Cavatelli recipe.
Chef Mary Ellen Muzio shares her Chickpea Flour Crepe Recipe, the perfect way to make gluten-free crepes for Gluten-Free February!
This month we’re celebrating Dried Chilis with a Salsa recipe brought to you by Culinary Director, Andrew Smith.
Chef Joe Bachman shares his centerpiece recipe for Valentine’s Day: Seared Scallops with Butternut Risotto.
Looking for a special yet easy to prepare meal for Valentine’s Day? Chef Brandi Solomon has put together the perfect one!
Chef Albert Bello shares his Valentine’s Day Entremet recipe, the perfect way to impress your loved one this season.
By Georgette Farkas
His white chef’s coat was splattered in avocado green with red flecks of tomato and tobacco. Reign Rodriguez, the recently arrived kitchen intern, was also wearing a broad grin reflecting his satisfaction at having helped prepare gallons of guacamole. Reign came to Great Performances by way of the Youth Action Youth Build (YAYB) program. They had prepared him with six weeks of culinary and food safety training, but this was his very first experience in a professional kitchen.
YAYB, based in East Harlem, is dedicated to putting young adults on the path to self-empowerment. Great Performances is making their kitchens a stepping stone along that path. The YAYB program includes job skills training, job placement services, high school equivalency certification and a safe environment where students are positively encouraged to become leaders in their communities. While Reign is choosing to go on to the Navy once he receives his GED, his fellow intern, Jasmine Villalongo, has developed a real taste for culinary life. Just three weeks into her internship, Jasmine found a mentor in Great Performances Pastry Chef Albert Bello. Having a seasoned professional take an interest and dedicate time to providing hands on instruction makes all the difference. Chef Albert’s standards are rigorous, but he also understands that Jasmine is still a student, taking her first steps in this new professional environment. Five out of Jasmine’s eight weeks of internship will focus entirely on pastry. She began learning speed and consistency by adding finishing touches to petits fours. It takes time to perfect coating lemon pops in meringue or cheesecake pops in white chocolate. Today Jasmine is rolling chocolate kormos logs to be served at Greek American Foundation gala. “The scale of the kitchen here is much bigger than what I expected,” explains Jasmine, who spent her first few weeks honing her knife skills on the vegetable station. “I was cutting fruits and vegetables I had never seen before. This is a whole new area for me.” If all goes well, Jasmine’s internship could lead to full time employment.
While Great Performances has long been steeped in community, today the outreach extends well beyond their tradition of supporting food banks and heathy eating programs. The company has recently begun partnering with a number of workforce development organizations. This two-way street brings together populations in need of training, job readiness and connections and a business ready to devote time and energy to supporting them. Great Performances first steps in this area have been with Youth Acton Youth Build. They are also developing a strong bond with Hot bread Kitchen, an organization that creates economic opportunity for immigrant women and women of color through job skills training, food entrepreneurship programs, and an ecosystem of support in New York City.
Workforce Development Coordinator, Moses McBride explained that YAYB wants to empower young adults to make change right in their own communities and that one of the best ways to accomplish this is through on the job vocational training. He believes internships show young people what a stable career path could look like. “I faced many of the same challenges as the young people in our program,” explains Moses, who knows what a difference it makes to access skills and credentials. “Working with young people, you see a steep learning curve and the ability to adapt to new environments. These may be individuals who are outside the mainstream and feel they don’t fit in. Their new-found skills can fulfill their need to feel validated.” He loves to see them become committed and focused and find a purpose. According to Moses, a professional environment with standards and expectations is part of the experience and helps interns gage their tenacity and willpower, while building both tangible and intangible skills. The Great Performances kitchen may be just the place to make that happen.
Our team of event planners – with a cumulative experience of 250 years over tens of thousands of events with millions of guests – recently sat down and shared some of their top tips for planning and hosting a great event. From weddings and mitzvahs to conferences and galas, they’ve handled almost every kind of event, successfully navigating any obstacle and challenge from furniture not showing up to furniture collapsing minutes before guest arrivals; from torrential downpours on a day with a zero percent chance of rain to soaring temperatures resulting in blackouts and no air-conditioning; and from guest counts increasing last minute requiring food to seemingly multiply to a featured dish disappearing hours before service. They’ve seen it all and successfully managed the challenges with such poise and grace that the guests – and often the hosts – didn’t even know that there was a problem.
Read on to discover our top tips or check out some winter event ideas to get your party planning juices flowing!
We’re coming across more “sober-curious” guests who want to enjoy fun, beautiful, instagramable drinks without the hangover. Provide a variety of juices and soft beverages and make sure you have at least one specialty zero-proof cocktail for guests to enjoy.
Allergy-free, vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan–know who’s eating what. Knowing what dietary preferences and restrictions your guests have and communicating that with your planners ensures that everyone feels included and can enjoy all aspects of the event. We’re encouraging hosts to go a step further and build a menu that already accounts for various diets.
Engage your planner and review your event details to confirm your event needs. Any changes should be made well in advance of the event. What may seem like a small change may have a domino effect and impact many other factors of your event. Proper planning and consulting with your event planner can save everyone headache and money in the long run.
This is probably the most emphatically agreed upon tip from all of our planners. It’s important to not just have a backup plan, but be comfortable with it! In fact, the more comfortable you are with your backup plan, the better everything else will be. You’ll be confident going into your originally planned event because you know you have a contingency plan that will work and be wonderful; and if plans go awry, you’ll be ready to act upon your contingency plan quickly and seamlessly.
Updated Winter 2024 – 2025
At Great Performances, we not only celebrate life’s moments for our clients, but for our own families and colleagues as well. This year, we’re especially fortunate in celebrating Father’s Day across several generations, including two very new dads – Chef Stratos Georgedakis who just welcomed a baby in early May and our booking directory Tim Berryman who welcomed a baby just a short week ago. Congratulations to the two of them!
Over the years, we’ve shared some wonderful stories from our colleagues about their fathers day traditions and memories. This year, we’re delighted to share a story from the perspective of one of our dear colleague’s sons.
You’ll remember Mike Warren, Director of Catering at CPS Events at The Plaza, and the photo he shared a couple years ago of he and his sons at his wedding. This year, Mike’s son, Elliott, contributed an article about what Father’s Day means for him and how food
Me and my boys at my wedding. Love wins. They love me for who I am, and I love them unconditionally.
by Elliot Warren
Growing up with a dad in the catering industry meant being raised, in part, by food. Father’s Day was not the only excuse for mouth watering steaks (a regular occurrence in my household, and my dad’s favorite meal) or a fine selection of cheese, charcuterie, and all the accoutrements—that was just a regular Sunday evening for me. If it’s not already obvious, my dad made sure that I grew up with an appreciation and respect for food and all the wonderful experiences and memories it brings.
When I moved away to college in DC, I brought my love of food with me. I was the chef-du-jour for my fraternity’s Thanksgiving, winter holiday, and Superbowl parties. As I grew older, the love for food my father instilled in me only grew. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic hindered my ability to share with him my ever-improving culinary skills.
After not being able to see each other for two years, my dad visited me in my new home in Richmond, Virginia. At the top of his to-do list for our visit was to cook a meal together, something we had not been able to do together since before I went to college—and certainly not since I had improved as a home cook. He left the menu selection to me, and being excited by my new home in the South (and to provide something new for my Brooklyn-bred dad), I chose a recipe by my favorite southern chef, Vivian Howard. As my father taught me, seasonality is key and so I opted for a recipe to highlight delicious summer produce and provide a refreshing but hearty dinner—Vivian’s roasted pork chops with watermelon.
It was a simple meal but delectable and fun to make. The watermelons start cubed on top of the meat and through the process shrivel into a stewed-tomato like texture but with the wonderful summer flavor of watermelon. Paired with the perfect wine (my dad’s domain and my next culinary challenge) we had an unforgettable meal, and I was reminded of the power of food as I was immediately transported back to those days more than ten years ago when we would sit on our patio eating cheese and charcuterie, with steaks on the grill.
By Great Performances
Thinking about returning to the office doesn’t spark a lot of joy in people. For many people, it’s about TPS reports, grabbing a few bites of a soggy salad or sandwich, possibly meandering over to the coffee station or water cooler to recaffeinate or rehydrate. Maybe exchanging desultory greetings with a passing colleague.
But what if we could transform this, and create more meaningful, engaging encounters around food! We know that people tend to congregate around food. The most popular room in a house is the kitchen! Often during friend and family get togethers, you’ll find people clustered around the kitchen counter, the grill, the beverage table — you get the picture.
We’ve worked with our corporate clients to create these pop up moments around food to help bring more excitement and engagement to the office. Held at different parts of the day, these food activations are specifically designed to bring deliciousness and fun to the work day. Our culinary teams conspire and collaborate with our venue teams and restaurant partners to design carts, stations, and stands that appeal to a wide variety of tastes.
The response we’ve gotten has been fantastic and people look forward to coming in to the office to see what treats we’ve got in store for them the next day.
Check out some of our favorite food popups below and let us know what you’d like to see in your office!
From attended stations like the Omelet Bar, Thanksgiving Pies Stand, and the Fluff n Fluff Cotton Candy Station we take extra care to ensure our guests enjoy a variety of flavors and experiences. We’ve even got a roving Pretzel Express Cart that can move through the office delivering pretzels with a variety of dipping sauces to each work station.
For those looking for grab-and-go food options, we have dozens of experiences for your teams to enjoy! From partnerships with restaurants like Beard Papa’s with their wide variety of cream puffs to our own stations celebrating Peanut Lovers Day and Lobster Roll Day and an Avocado Toast station that’s anything but basic, we’ve got something for everyone!
Want to find out how to bring some of these experiences to your work places? Complete the form below and we’d be delighted to help you out.
By Great Performances
As spring blossoms across the city and the days get warmer, we start thinking about outdoor summer events. We’ve rounded up some of our most popular outdoor event venues that give you and your guests spectacular views and the opportunity to interact with nature — both flora and fauna!
From corporate events as companies onboard new team members, welcome summer associates, and host employee family picnics to nonprofit events including fundraising galas and charity functions we have the perfect outdoor venues for groups of all sizes.
We’ve also got venues that are perfect for social events including weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs, and lifecycle celebrations.
Check out the list of our most popular outdoor event venues and schedule some time with a planner today to book your outdoor event!
Escape from the hustle and bustle of the city by staying inside the city! This 6.5-acre tranquil oasis in the heart of Manhattan includes more than 1,400 animals representing more than 130 species from around the world.
Sip cocktails while you watch sea lions folic then stroll through lush gardens before enjoying a meal under a twinkle-light festooned tent. This exotic environment set against a classic NYC backdrop is simply iconic.
A hidden gem nestled in Prospect Park on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn is the Prospect Park Zoo. With both indoor and outdoor spaces, it’s an ideal venue for smaller and larger groups of animal lovers.
In the Rotunda, you’ll meet the Hamadryas baboons and marvel at the 6,000-gallon fish tank. You’ll encounter more animals while wandering down the Discovery Trail before arriving at the Barn where animals are fed. The center piece, is the Sea Lion Pool, the perfect backdrop or background for a whimsical wedding ceremony.
Spectacular gardens, woodland trails, and an impressive great house as a centerpiece, Caramoor is home to metropolitan New York’s largest annual outdoor music festival. It’s the perfect venue for those who love music and nature!
With plenty of space for weddings, celebrations, and gatherings of all types, Carmoor has a wide range of facilities available. For nature enthusiasts who want to experience the best of summer outdoors, Caramoor is a must.
This hidden gem in the Riverdale neighborhood of the Bronx boasts its own microclimate. Stroll along trails in the woods studded with a stunning variety of plants. You’ll always find something blooming at Wave Hill! The Pergola frames views of the Hudson River and the Palisades, providing a romantic backdrop for a wedding. We love the peace and tranquility of the Aquatic Garden, and the Marco Polo Stufano Conservatory is a dreamy location for photos.
For those preferring an indoor event, Armor Hall’s towering cathedral windows create a majestic atmosphere while the wood-paneled Mark Twain Room offers peace and tranquility.
Above the bustle of Fifth Avenue is an oasis. A combination city garden and downtown-style loft, 620 Loft & Garden is the perfect midtown location for a memorable event.
Saks Fifth Avenue and Saint Patrick’s Cathedral provide a dramatic backdrop for the landmark garden with flagstone pathways and meticulously manicured gardens.
Dine under the stars while enjoying the twinkling lights of the city from the Penthouse Rooftop Garden or enjoy the views from inside the Loft or combine the best of two worlds in our Tented Garden — 620 Loft & Garden is the perfect way to enjoy the city and celebrate your event.
Ellis Island offers a once-in-a-lifetime experience with the exclusive use of a National Monument. Explore the museum and take advantage of National Park Service Ranger Tours to round out your visit. You’ll also enjoy breathtaking views of the Statue of Liberty and Manhattan Skyline and you dine under the stars and revel in the magic that is New York City.
Ice skating by winter, rollerskating by summer! DiscOasis has rolled into Wollman Rink this summer, making it a groovy spot for skaters of all experience levels!
Whether your looking for a small group outing perfect for team building or large scale event, Wollman Rink rocks!
By Georgette Farkas
I prepared this dish with Mother’s Day in mind, knowing my own mother, Francine, will love it, and I never compose a spring menu without asparagus. The beauty of this frittata is that it is just as tasty at room temperature as it is hot from the oven. At room temperature it’s a great make ahead entertaining at home dish. For the goat cheese, use a rindless version. I quite like smooth and creamy Chavrie, with just enough bite to contrast nicely with the asparagus. The reason for finishing the frittata in the oven rather than on the stove is that the heat will be gentler and won’t risk browning the bottom of the eggs. Serve with multi grain toast or focaccia, and a green salad tossed with lemon vinaigrette.
In celebration of Mother’s Day, Venue Chef Tatiana Iglesias shares her recipe for Arroz con Pollo, passed down by her mom.
Sharing our ideas for celebrating mom this year. Make her breakfast in bed using one of our recipes or share a lovely day out with her.
Georgette Farkas shares some of her tried and true tricks for hosting the perfect Spring soirée.
MOTHER’S DAY ASPARAGUS AND GOAT CHEESE FRITTATA By Georgette Farkas I prepared this dish with Mother’s Day in mind, knowing my own mother, Francine, will
MOTHER’S DAY CARD To all the moms out there, Happy Mother’s Day! Download and print a greeting card to give to your mom! Simply print
ALI’S FAVORITE PASTA – AMATRICIANA Food is the heart of everything we do at Great Performances; and for many of us, it’s a cornerstone of
