A VALENTINE'S DAY MENU FOR TWO FROM GEORGETTE FARKAS

By Great Performances

Love Happens Around Food®

We truly believe that food is a common element that brings people together; and that eating with others is more than just consuming nutrients. We’re breaking bread – to share with others. It implies so much: trust, comfort, confidence, and love. Sharing food is an act of love for us at Great Performance. From carefully planning menus and selecting ingredients that meet our high standards of quality and sustainability to presenting the food with care, attention, and our unparalleled service, it’s what we do. Although food may not be the central character of the events we cater and host, it’s a critical element and its absence would be quickly noted.

 

Food is at the center for all of our celebrations, and from romantic dinners and weddings to family feasts and holidays, we see the connection between Love and Food. For Valentine’s Day, Georgette Farkas curated a delicious menu for two. The beauty of the menu is that everything can be prepared in advance and finished before serving. And although this is a menu for two, we’ve made sure that there’s enough for leftovers later in the week.

First Course: Mae Mae’s Beetroot Borscht

Start your Valentine’s Day feast with Mae Mae’s Beetroot Borscht. The beautiful red of the soup immediately makes you think of love and romance. Although we traditionally served the soup chunky, you could puree it for a smoother texture. Create a heart-shaped garnish by adding a few round dollops of sour cream then running a knife through it in one direction.

Great-Performances_Valentine's-Day_Georgette-Farkas_Mushroom-Fricassee-4

Main Course: Valentine’s Mushroom Fricassee

Warm, comforting — and seductive! Buttery, crisp puff pastry garnishes the umami-rich mushroom and spinach filling of our Valentine’s Mushroom Fricassee. We’ve created a more “deconstructed” version so you don’t have to purchase any special dishes. (And we always recommend adding a few extra puff pastry hearts on the side as an extra treat.)

Dessert: Bittersweet Chocolate Pot de Crème

We can’t help but go for the classic Valentine’s Day dessert flavor, chocolate, with our Bittersweet Chocolate Pot de Crème. The bittersweet chocolate helps counter some of the sweetness, and a splash of bourbon adds some extra warmth and depth. This dessert is as sensual as it is sensational – definitely worth the effort.

MAE MAE'S BEETROOT BORSCHT

by Great Performances

We’ve got a soft spot for beets at Great Performances. We grow them at Katchkie Farm, our organic farm in upstate New York, and often featured them on the menu at our own Mae Mae Cafe. From our signature beet chips to our fan favorite beet burger, we celebrate the beet. Here we’re sharing a delicious beetroot borscht – that we served throughout the colder months at Mae Mae and especially around Valentine’s Day.

INGREDIENTS

PROCEDURE

  • 1 lb raw beets, peeled and chopped
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 celery stick, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 L vegetable stock + additional water if required
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 lemon, juice only
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Sour cream, horseradish and dill to serve
  • Gently fry the finely chopped onion, garlic, celery and garlic in the grapeseed oil over a very low heat until soft and aromatic.
  • Add the chopped beets. Cover with stock and add extra water if required until you have 4cm above the level of the beetroot.
  • Add a bay leaf and leave to simmer with a lid semi-covering until the beetroot is soft, around 45 minutes.
  • Puree the soup then allow to simmer for another 10-15 minutes to thicken and concentrate the flavors.  Season with fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper before serving. Top with horseradish, sour cream and fresh dill.

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VALENTINE'S MUSHROOM FRICASSEE

by Georgette Farkas

In my traditional French culinary past I would have made a “vol-au-vent” a flaky puff pastry cup filled with sautéed mushrooms. Mushroom pot pie would be the rustic version. For this one skillet recipe, with a lighter touch and valentine’s day in mind, I’m simply topping my mushroom fricassee with puff pastry hearts. The celery root adds body and flavor. The fricassee can be prepared a day ahead, just up to the point before adding the spinach. While you may be cooking for only two on Valentine’s Day, you won’t regret having extra portions on hand as a side dish in the days that follow.

INGREDIENTS

PROCEDURE

  • 4 oz. puff pastry, (enough to cut four hearts, each approx. 3” wide x 4” long
  • 1 small egg, beaten with 1 tsp water
  • ½ cup shallots, peeled and finely minced
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled and finely minced
  • 2 Tbs butter
  • 12 oz white mushrooms, quartered
  • 4 oz oyster mushrooms (or other wild mushrooms), pulled in strips
  • ¾ cup (.75 oz.) dried morels soaked until softened (OPTIONAL)
  • 1 cup celery root, peeled and cut in ¼ cubes
  • 2 Tsp dried tarragon
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 5 oz fresh spinach
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Cut heart shapes from puff pastry using a cookie cutter or simply cutting free form with a paring knife. I prefer the latter. Brush hearts with the egg wash and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before baking. Place on non-stick baking sheet or baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in an oven pre-heated to 375 for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden. Keep warm or re-heat when ready to serve.
  • In a skillet over low heat, melt butter, add shallots and cook stirring until soft and translucent. Increase heat to medium and add garlic, mushrooms, celery root and dried tarragon. Cook tossing occasionally for 15 to 20 minutes. Add white wine and cook stirring until mostly evaporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add cream and cook stirring a few minutes until the cream is thickened and reduced by about half.
  • Just before serving, add spinach, tossing only a minute or two, just until it wilts into the mushroom fricassee, but maintains its bright green color. Adjust seasoning to taste. Add a drop of water, only if the mixture has become too thick.
  • Spoon fricassee onto warm plates, top each serving with a warm puff pastry heart and serve immediately.

Substitutions

Puff Pastry is readily available frozen in grocery stores. In a pinch substitute a slice of bread, anything from simple white bread to brioche to multi-grain or even gluten-free. Cut out heart shapes, approx. 3” wide x 4”, butter and toast just before serving.

Mushrooms Use any combination of plain white mushrooms and wild mushrooms, such as oyster, shiitake or other. Substitute dried morels with dried mushroom, such as porcini or shiitake, or use only fresh mushrooms.

Pro Tip

Add a teaspoon of dried porcini powder when sautéing the mushrooms.

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CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH

By Great Performances

February marks Black History Month, an annual American initiative designed to bring awareness and recognition of the achievements made by African Americans along with their positive contributions to U.S. history.

At Great Performances, we’re committed to taking a stand against racism and promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion. As we make this part of our daily lives, it’s also important to give special consideration during the cultural and heritage months we celebrate and celebrate the diverse groups and individuals who have contributed to the richness of our world.

One of our programs for supporting talented chefs and restaurateurs while bringing the diversity and richness of NYCs food scene to our clients is through People’s Kitchen. This program brings the bounty of the city and its flavors from around the world into the cafes we operate. We form deep relationships with a variety of restaurants and chefs.

To celebrate Black History Month, we’ve invited some of our favorite Black chefs and Black-owned restaurants to our cafes, including Samuel Branch of Branch Patty, JJ Johnson of FIELDTRIP, Auzerais Bellamy of Blondery, and many more.

Georgette Farkas, Culinary Ambassador at Great Performances, spearheads our People’s Kitchen program. She sat down with some of our guest chefs to learn more about their food, their passion, and how they do it.

Tris Pies

People’s Kitchen partners with Tris Pies to bring our guests pies baked by Tristan Trowers right in the Bronx!

Read More »

Jumieka NYC

People’s Kitchen partners with Jumieka NYC to bring our guests Caribbean specialties with a modern twist by Chef Kemis Lawrence.

Read More »

Zanmi

People’s Kitchen partners with Zanmi to bring our guests Haitian dishes with a modern twist by Chef Wesly Jean Simon.

Read More »

CHEF INTERVIEW: SAMUEL BRANCH, BRANCH PATTY

By Georgette Farkas

Delivering Jamaican Patties Handmade with Sustainable Ingredients – Branch Patty

Established in 2013, Branch Patty is a family-owned business specialized in the art of making Jamaican-style patties. As a Caribbean child, Samuel Branch grew up with a love of patties. He perfected his recipes and technique through his skill and perseverance as a professional chef. Branch Patty was re-launched in 2017 with his wife Lisa. Together they emphasize serving kindness and integrity as their primary ingredients. They don’t believe in serving anything they wouldn’t feed their own children! Branch patties are produced by hand in small batches. Samuel and Lisa look forward to serving you the “Branch Patty Experience.”

Have there been unexpected twists or turns in your culinary life that have changed your career direction?
By the time I had my second daughter I had been working in restaurants for a few years and wanted to change paths. I started a private chef company in 2010. In the meantime, a 2009 New York Times article inspired me with reporting on the Brooklyn food movement, but the movement wasn’t yet focusing on the borough’s diversity, particularly my Caribbean community.  I wanted to cook food that represented my own heritage. For Smorgasburg I created a stand specializing in a typically Barbadian fish sandwich. I also looked around and saw no one was making patties. I proposed the idea, arranged a tasting and launched my patties there in 2014.

I didn’t create my current brand until 2017 when my wife Lisa joined me, and it became a family affair. We moved to the weekend market at Artists & Fleas to make a fresh start. We started with beef, chicken and one veggie patty and added a vegan version. Now vegetable patties are now a main focus for us. We loved being right in front of customers at the market. The pandemic shutdown led to our current direct to customer model. Now, we would love to get back in front of our customers when the opportunity arises.

What is your first or favorite food memory?
I was born in America but raised in Barbados and grew up loving the ocean. On the beach back home we ate all the time at “Cuz Fish Shack”, a local spot passed down from father to son. They made just one thing, a “Cutter” sandwich. They made it with mahi mahi or blue marlin, marinated in a green seasoning like a sofrito and then pan fried in a cast iron skillet. It was served on a bread roll, we call “salt bread”, like a soft Portuguese roll topped with the fish, lettuce, tomato, cheddar cheese, hot sauce and condiments. Everything about it was wrong from a professional chef perspective, but it all worked brilliantly. This memory had receded, but it refocused me on my Caribbean heritage. It became the sandwich I made for my Smorgasburg launch. I actually went back to Barbados to meet with Cuz’s son to re-taste and learn the sandwich.

What is your favorite dish to make at home for family or friends?
Oxtail stew with a dark, thick gravy. The oldest of my three daughters loves it.  It would by my last supper.

Is there an ingredient that is your unsung hero in the kitchen?
Fresh thyme. It relates to my first food memory. We grew it in our yard at home in Barbados. My aunt cooked with it at home. My formal culinary school training only reinforced that. You’ll also definitely find it my patties.

When cooking at home, are there things you are willing to buy versus making yourself?
Brown rice is something we used to make a lot at home.  It takes a while to cook.  During the pandemic my wife discovered cooked brown rice sold frozen at Trader Joe’s. It’s a big time saver and healthy.  

I would also buy pasta sauce for dinner at home for my three daughters

Share your favorite drink pairing with your favorite Branch Patty menu item.
I love ginger beer on its own or mixed in a cocktail. I suggest plain ginger beer with a beef patty.

Sorrel is a Caribbean hibiscus-based drink made with cinnamon and cloves. It’s delicious with our seasonal greens patty.

How do you unwind from the pressures of your baking business?
During the last five years I’ve started training in martial arts, specifically jiu jitsu. I practice five days per week, early morning before I start work. It’s the time I need to keep in focus and in shape. When my first business folded, I became so frustrated and felt such a loss. The physical activity gave me something positive to focus on.

FOOD TRADITIONS NEW AND OLD

It goes without saying that all of us at GP love food. We asked our team members to share some of their memorable food moments from 2021. From introducing new foods to a baby’s palate to honoring loved ones through cherished flavors and traditions, we’re sharing some of our favorite food moments.

Pureed Baby Food

Ali Rea Baum, Senior Event Director

One big culinary change that has occurred in my life in 2021 is adding pureed baby food onto the menu. For our 7-month-old, every few days we try to introduce new foods and tastes. One day we try pureed carrots, the next the same item but with some cinnamon, and the next day some scrambled eggs. Whether she likes the food or not, she always manages to get more on her face (or the floor) than in her stomach.

Kiki’s

Morgan Golumbuk, Event Director

When I think about New York City – and what I love about dining in New York City – I think about Kiki’s. I think about tumbling in from a cold night swathed in coats and scarves and beanies and sitting down to unpretentious, well-executed food in an unpretentious, well-executed restaurant. The evening after wrapping up my last wedding of the year in mid-December, I met my cousin for a perfect Greek meal there: roasted lemon potatoes, grilled octopus, braised lamb, moussaka and, of course, the essential staple, horiatiki. Described on the menu as “traditional-no-lettuce-having-Greek salad,” the dish is full of chunky tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, bell peppers, kalamata olives, and a wedge of feta that could’ve served as a meal all its own. It was the perfect mix of refreshing and indulgent, and a memorable end to a very, very memorable season.

English Trifle

Linda Abbey, Executive Vice President

I inherited the hospitality gene from my dad George who loved to have “people ‘round” to cook for them. One Christmas he made a show-stopper English trifle — homemade lemon sponge, layered with apricots, brandied custard, blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries. Since dad is no longer with us, I now continue the tradition of whipping up his recipe in the trifle bowl he gifted me years ago.

Stone Crab

Lauren Bivona

I recently had an amazing dinner at Joe’s Stone Crab! This restaurant has been a Miami staple since 1913. The stone crabs at Joe’s are famous for being incredibly fresh and sweet. The claws are paired perfectly with a homemade mustard sauce – a savory combination of mustard, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, and A1 steak sauce. I was inspired to make the mustard sauce at home, so I visited a local fish market to buy the stone crabs. Delicious!

Cinnamon French Toast with Caramelized Blueberries & Maple Syrup

Ronnie Davis, Managing Director

My Grandmother hated wasting anything; probably a result of her Russian heritage. After a holiday dinner there was always breakfast the next day to consider. She would take leftover Challah bread and make her version of French Toast. She would add a half teaspoon of ground Cinnamon to the egg batter, and sauté both sides until brown. When you thought it was finished, she would top it Berries, mostly Blueberries, and bake it for 12-14 minutes until the Berries had “Caramelized”. Add Maple Syrup and you have an amazing dish. Over the years, I started using French Bread in place of the Challah and serendipity! I think of her whenever I make it.

Feast of the Seven Fishes

Carina Hayek, Director of Marketing

Our main tradition during any holiday season is variety. I can count on one hand (maybe with a couple extra fingers) how many times we’ve had turkey for Thanksgiving in the 30+ years we’ve lived in the United States. But one tradition we’ve borrowed from our fellow parishioners and adapted in our own way is the Feast of Seven Fishes. A traditional Christmas Eve feast for Italian-Americans, it’s a grand meal featuring a variety of fish dishes. But in the midst of the epic amount of baking we (read: my mother) does in the days leading up to Christmas and the equally epic feasts we have on Christmas Day, we needed a rest on Christmas Even and opted for a cooking-free, smaller version of Seven Fishes and order sushi. We don’t do this every year, but often enough to make it a delicious, stress free tradition.

Wigilia

Kate Michelli, Sales strategy & Operations

Some photos from our Wigilia – Polish meatless Christmas Eve Dinner.  The dinner has been a tradition passed down in my family for generations. All items are homemade.

We start off with Oplatek (The unleavened wafers are baked from pure wheat flour and water, are usually rectangular in shape and very thin. The Opłatki wafers are embossed with Christmas-related religious images).  Each person shares a small piece of their larger piece with each person while wishing them well in the new year.  Once that is over we sit for a toast and the meal begins.

First course:

  • Mushroom soup with onions (with or without oyster crackers)

Entrees:

  • Fish – this year was haddock and salmon
  • Kapusta (split peas and cabbage)
  • Homemade cheese, potato and sauerkraut pierogi

Also on the table:

  • Cooked prunes
  • Black olives

Spinach Pie

Cherish Knudsen, Event Producer

This is a family recipe that we make for the Holidays or just whenever we feel like it. It is yummy, comforting, and sort of healthy!  My mother and I just made it over the Holidays for our family to enjoy.  It is not only one of my personal favorites but even my nieces and nephews love it!  Great way to eat your greens while still feeling comforted… Most of all, its made with love… Enjoy!

Spinach Pie

Yields 2 Pies

Ingredients:

  • 10-16 oz pkg frozen chopped spinach per pie (depends on how dense you want it)
  • 2 Pie crusts – fresh or frozen
  • (If use Pillsbury crust – 2 in one pkg-follow directions: Roll out like you roll a rug – don’t pinch it off with the flap going away from you)
  • Plastic food gloves (to squeeze water from spinach)
  • 4 – 5 Eggs (total)
  • 8 oz of each: whole milk Mozzarella cheese & fontina cheese
  • 3-4 cloves Garlic per pie
  • Mushrooms (if you want)

Directions:

  1. Boil, then simmer spinach and press to drain water (use just enough water to cook)
  2. Saute garlic (*and mushrooms if you’d like) in a little extra virgin olive oil
  3. Place cooked (& drained) spinach into oil with garlic (mushrooms?) – add mixture of mozzarella and fontina cheese (10-16 ounces/ pie) and 2 eggs per pie…heat, melt & combine mixture….add salt and pepper to taste….
  4. Put pie crust in oven while pre-heating 4-5 minutes (350 degrees)
  5. Put spinach mixture in pie crusts
  6. Cook pies for 40-45 minutes
  7. Let pies stand for approx. 5-10 minutes before cutting…. And enjoy!

Unstructured Meals and Greenmarket Finds

Liz Neumark, Founder and Chair

Our end of December at home was quiet.  The kids were scattered around the globe having been home for 2 weeks during Thanksgiving.  It was a time of unstructured meals and zero family obligations.  

My first food project involved canning about 20 lbs of apricots and cherries I had frozen during the summer.  My efforts yielded 4 cases of jams and chutneys. 

On Christmas Eve, I made latkes from the bag of russets left over from Chanukah.  Latkes are amazing for any holiday!  I had a few heads of late season broccoli from the Greenmarket and roasted them on a cold night with olive oil and sea salt, along with fried gnocchi and sage in butter.  Pure comfort.

(The steak and cat is wishful thinking on the part of Kimchi who only wished that meat was for her.  Silly Kitty!)

Not pictured are the endless cheeses I ate, the creamiest creamed spinach (local!), crock pot soups and stews, various smoked fish on black bread and everything else that drove me back to the gym this week in search of self-discipline.  It was a peaceful and delicious end to the year.

JAMES BEARD FOUNDATION FELLOW: SOFIA MENDOZA

By Georgette Farkas

Sofia set her sights as high as one could in New York City’s restaurant landscape, all the while remaining focused on serving her community and building a nurturing culture in the workplace. After earning a culinary degree at Monroe college, Sofia worked at restaurants including The Modern, Daniel and Eleven Madison Park, in areas including human resources and guest relations. The pandemic’s impact heightened Sofia’s awareness of the Latino community’s invaluable role in hospitality, just as the JBF fellowship training will fuel her goal of creating a Mexican café with a taste of home.

What convinced you to apply for the fellowship?
My dream of opening a café in the future. I was putting it off to focus on my career right now, but when I learned about the program I thought “this is the push I need”. My vision for my café revolves around refined Mexican food. At the same time, my business will work to reduce food insecurity. We may partner with food banks such as City Harvest and collaborate with other restaurants to build support for community needs and make food accessible, especially in emergencies.

What were the most valuable aspect of the program?
In the finance section, I learned how to align my vison for my café with realistic business goals, setting expectations for profitability and the time it could take to become profitable.

With program mentor Valerie Wilson, a Public Relations pro, I learned how to identify my target market and how to incorporate marketing metrics to assure my business is successful. Valerie taught me to build stories that are purposeful and that reflect my business’ unique character.

What did you learn that most surprised you?
How different meal kits are from regular restaurant production. Every aspect of my Beard Box meal kit had to be thought out, from the components of my dishes to the size of the jars, to production and packaging. While working at Great Performances, I learned that just because it comes from a box doesn’t mean you cut corners, you have to be very thoughtful and intentional when it comes to building a meal kit. My menu included handmade tetelas, which are a type of folded and stuffed tortilla. We made two versions, one filled with wild mushrooms and the other filled with Oaxaca cheese and zucchini. They needed to be carefully assembled by hand and in a way that made them easy for customers to heat and eat at home, with all the flavor and texture intact.

How did the program influence the direction of your culinary career and the possibilities you see ahead?
The fellowship allowed me to explore and envision what my café would look like and what recipes I would create for it. It encouraged me to take a deep dive into where I come from, the stories behind my favorite dishes and where I see them in my dream café. I’ll be using flavors from my childhood, such as my guajillo salsa. There will be the colors and spices that I grew up with, using food to bring a piece of my home in Mexico here to my café.

Tell us about the next steps in your career?
My plan is to open my café in seven years. Now I am actively building my business plan, researching concepts, restaurant architecture and locations.

What was your favorite aspect of the fellowship?
Meeting other fellows and learning from them! I loved learning about their journeys and about their experience in the industry. I especially loved when we all got together to cook at Great Performances for the JBF awards box back in August.

What was the most challenging aspect of the fellowship?
On the very same day that I started the fellowship, I also started a new job as a Human Resources Manager at Union Square Hospitality. It was hard to balance both. I had to ask for help and lean on my support system to 1. Get the most out of the program 2. Learn the ropes of my new position 3. And remember to have fun while achieving 1 and 2.

What is the most valuable skill or lesson learned that you will take away from your fellowship?
The most valuable lesson I learned from my fellowship was always hire a real estate attorney before signing a lease. With things constantly changing, you need to make sure you protect your business in ALL aspects.

Recipe: Mexican Hot Chocolate Bavarois with Churro and Piloncillo Crumble

By Sofia Mendoza

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

Bavarois

  • 1¼ cups milk
  • 175 gr bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
  • ¼ tsp ground chili pepper
  • ¼ tsp ground clove
  • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 4 egg yolks
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 gelatin sheet
  • 1 cup heavy cream

Churro Crumble

  • 1 whole churro
  • 2 Tbs pilloncilo sugar*

*unprocessed pure cane sugar found mostly in Mexicog

Procedure

In the top of a double boiler over medium heat, combine milk, bittersweet chocolate, chili pepper, clove and cinnamon. Whisk together until chocolate is completely melted.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar and vanilla. Whisk in about a quarter of the chocolate mixture to temper. Whisk egg mixture back into the chocolate mixture. Cook stirring over the double boiler until the mixture thickens just enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.  Remove from heat and let cool.

Place gelatin sheet in a small mixing bowl with just enough cold water to dissolve. Whisk into chocolate mixture and refrigerate, just long enough to cool, but not long enough to set.

In the meantime, in a mixing bowl, whip heavy cream. Fold whipped cream into chilled chocolate mixture. Transfer to six individual small ramekins or serving bowls and refrigerate to set.

Preheat oven to 350°. Coarsely chop the churro in to pieces small enough to form a crumble mixture. Coarsely chop the piloncillo sugar. Toss the two together on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and toast approximately 20 minutes or until churro pieces are crisp. Remove from oven and let cool. Just before serving, spoon the churro mixture over the set chocolate bavarois to garnish.

We would like to acknowledge CAPITAL ONE as the presenting Sponsor of the James Beard House Fellows Program.

JAMES BEARD FOUNDATION FELLOW: MIMI CHEN

By Georgette Farkas

Mimi’s love of TV cooking shows led her to enter the C-CAP (Careers through Culinary Arts Program) Competition. Her 2015 win resulted in a full scholarship to the International Culinary Center and then a paid internship at Café Boulud. With Chef Daniel Boulud as a mentor, Mimi went on to cook at New York City’s renowned Restaurant DANIEL. Always striving to work with and learn from the best, Mimi moved to San Francisco to join the team at Matthew Kirkley’s three Michelin starred restaurant Coi. All the while, she continued to participate in prestigious competitions, including the famed Bocuse d’Or World Competition in 2017 and 2019. Mimi’s creative talent, precision and competitive spirit will serve her well when it comes to starting her own culinary business.

How did you first learn about the program?
A professor whom I studied with at CityTech College encouraged me to apply. She has always looked out for me and my career and knew I would really benefit from the fellowship.

What was the most valuable training you received?
I learned a lot about myself personally and professionally. Program mentor Rosey Singh helped me understand my personality type and taught me to communicate with confidence. Another mentor, Valerie Wilson, taught me to pitch my story concisely. Previously, I had written a very long bio. Thanks to Valerie, I learned to focus on compelling details that illustrate the key points in my narrative.

What aspect of the program did you enjoy most?
I loved creating my Beard Box menu, translating my ideas into a meal kit for people to prepare at home. Everyone loves a good burger, but I wanted mine to be different. My family BBQ experiences inspired my five-spice burger. The charcoal bun was a technique I picked up in my cooking competition experiences. The resulting dish was familiar yet out of the ordinary.

How did the program influence the direction of your culinary career and the possibilities you see ahead?
It helped me build my business plan on the foundation of my culinary and pastry experiences. Prior to the program, I had been testing recipes, which the fellowship then helped me to refine.

What will your next career step be, following your fellowship completion?
I’m launching my own line of dessert mixes. They’re called “Mish”, short for mission. My products will be similar to what you find in the grocery store baking aisle, but with unique flavors inspired by my cultural heritage and French culinary training. My cake mixes will include matcha, earl grey and yuzu – flavors you just don’t find in stores. I’m also creating unique dessert mix flavor profiles for rice crispy treats, cookies, cupcakes and mochi. I plan to offer them with the convenience of online shopping, and eventually in stores.

What was the most challenging aspect of the fellowship?
For an introvert like me doing the live zoom recipe event was a great challenge. For my Beard Box video presentation, being prepared with a well outlined script was a very effective strategy. Despite a few hiccups, it went smoothly. I felt great about it.

Recipe: Soy Ginger Slaw

Ingredients

Slaw Mix

  • 1⅓ cup napa cabbage, finely shredded
  • 1⅓ cup purple cabbage, finely shredded
  • ⅔ cup carrots, finely shredded

Soy Ginger Sauce

  • 3½ Tbsp tamari soy sauce
  • 1.5 Tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1½ Tbsp honey
  • 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • ¼ cup ginger, grated
  • 1 tsp garlic, grated
  • 1 scallion, thinly sliced
  • 1 sprig cilantro, chopped
  • ¼ tsp white sesame seed

Procedure

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together soy ginger sauce ingredients and adjust seasoning to taste. Combine shredded napa and purple cabbage and shredded carrot. Toss in soy ginger sauce to coat evenly. Serve immediately.

We would like to acknowledge CAPITAL ONE as the presenting Sponsor of the James Beard House Fellows Program.

SUPPORTING EMERGING CHEFS: WORKING WITH JAMES BEARD FOUNDATION FELLOWS

By Georgette Farkas

If you’ve had the privilege of attending the James Beard Foundation Awards, you’re familiar with their reputation as the “Oscars” of the culinary world. Yet the Foundation’s mission has evolved well beyond hosting the glamorous annual gala. Today JBF works to support and elevate the people behind America’s food culture, championing a standard of good food anchored in talent, equity, and sustainability. Like the James Beard Foundation, Great Performances appreciates the value of a glittering event, but is equally engaged in nurturing the culinary community. We have worked with the JBF for years, and since the spring of 2021, we have partnered with their new Fellows Program, providing professional development for emerging chefs. The program recruits candidates through the Food Education Fund, a New York City based non-profit enriching the lives and education of culinary focused public high school students and alumni. They are drawn from communities often underrepresented among America’s chefs. The program complements their culinary know how with essential training in finance, small business management, legal advice, wine knowledge, media training and personal brand development.

The Great Performances culinary team mentors the JBF Fellows in creating their Beard Boxes, the final challenge they face in completing the program. This is a dinner menu kit shipped to JBF supporters across America. We guide each fellow in adapting their menu to the rigors of a professional kitchen, working with them in selecting seasonal ingredients, scaling their recipes, and finally preparing and packaging their food. It has been an inspiration to support these highly motivated young professionals. We find we learn as much from them as they do from us. It is our pleasure to share some of their stories with you.

We would like to acknowledge CAPITAL ONE as the presenting Sponsor of the James Beard House Fellows Program.

JANUARY FOOD FESTIVAL: TURNIPS

EMBRACE TIP:

Turnips are a hearty root vegetable for carbohydrate-conscious eaters. 1 cup of turnips contains about 8 grams of carbohydrates.

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Each month, our Great Performances menus feature seasonal ingredients. It’s our way of celebrating the earth and bringing our special touch to every menu.

Turnips are a root vegetable in the mustard family, related to radishes and arugula. Pliny the Elder in the first century BCE regarded turnips as the most important vegetables of his time. Over the course of two millenia, turnips have become a prized crop to an often overlooked vegetable. But we think you should take a closer look at the turnip.

Occasionally bitter, this can be countered by peeling the turnip past the yellow line. Turnips can be eaten raw, pickled, preserved, mashed, roasted, and pureed. Low in calories and rich in fiber, they’re a great source of vitamin C and contain vitamins B6 and K and trace minerals. The greens are also edible and are a powerhouse of nutrients including vitamins A, C, K, calcium, folic acid, and magnesium.

Georgette Farkas, our culinary ambassador created a delicious turnip dish for us.

ORANGE-MISO GLAZED TURNIPS

by Georgette Farkas

Classic glazed vegetables call for only a little butter, a drop of sugar and water. Make this recipe your own by varying the seasoning. The timing is flexible and forgiving. It will depend on the heat of your stove, the type and size of saucepan you use, the thickness of the vegetable cut and the amount of liquid added. Cook the turnips until they are translucent and easily pierced with a knife point.  Serve with jasmine or forbidden rice or as a side dish to accompany roasted poultry or meat.

Ingredients

  • 4 medium turnips, peeled and cut in wedges, approx. 2 cups or 6 oz
  • 3 whole scallions, white section cut in one inch pieces, green tops thinly sliced
  • 1 tbs butter
  • 1 tbs white miso
  • 1 whole orange, zested and juiced
  • 1 tsp honey
  • ¼ tsp ground ginger
  • Ground black pepper
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds, lightly toasted

Procedure

In a heavy bottomed saucepan over low heat, melt butter and whisk in miso, orange juice and zest, honey, ginger and black pepper. Toss in the turnips and the white part of the scallions. Add just enough water to cover. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered, tossing from time to time, approximately 20 minutes. The liquid will be reduced and form a syrupy glaze coating the vegetables. Add more water from time to time, as needed, if the glaze thickens before the vegetables are fully cooked. Transfer to a warm serving plate and top with sesame seeds and scallions.

Katchkie Farm in Kinderhook, NY is dear to our hearts, not only because that is our local, organic farm; but because it allows us to educate children on food and where it comes from via the Sylvia Center. Katchkie Farm has recently become one of our wedding venues.