True to our name – Great Performances – we have always recognized that authentic hospitality experiences are theater with multiple acts and a cast of characters.
While we are happy to be the star of the show, we ecstatically welcome the opportunity to be behind the scenes in support of others…and nothing draws a crowd like a celeb chef!
It’s been a great few weeks for collaboration. For the 2nd year with worked with the Anne Saxelby Legacy Fund on their Chelsea Market Benefit event. Dozens of restaurateurs filled the hallways with incredible bites and GP was there to help. Being invisible and keeping up with the endless bussing is the job of unsung heroes.
We are gearing up for 2 legendary events in October: the New York City Wine & Food Festival and Cookies for Kids’ Cancer. GP has partnered with NYCWFF for a dozen years as the official caterer, providing kitchen space in our commissary for guest chefs for events like Burger Bash and working with countless brands and sponsors to get their product out to the thousands of participants.
‘Cookies’ is a spectacular fundraiser in the fight against childhood cancer. Each table has a chef preparing a unique meal from a fully equipped pop-up kitchen on the gala floor. I’ll name drop….Dan Kluger, Missy Robbins, Christina Tosi, Jonathan Benno and dozens more. GP works on set up, service and clean up – nothing sexy but just essential!
Our daily work with the James Beard Foundation at Platform by JBF at Pier 57 as the hospitality partner assisting every guest chef in the kitchen and the dinner guests with service, is the thrill of a lifetime.
Ali Rea Baum, Senior Event Director, is our seasoned and expert event planner who is laboring over these off premise events. “I truthfully love how different each of these events are, and how each one has their own personality. These events have an added complexity since GP is not supplying a standard catered menu. In the end, it is about creating an amazing experience for everyone from the client, to the planner, to the venue, to the guests!”
We are the bassline. Establishing rhythm, creating harmony, and providing a solid foundation for the main instrument. And we do it with pride!
We often think of BAM as a center for culture, film, and theater, but it is home to so much more from dance, opera, and poetry to community events, galas, and talks. It’s the home for curious people and adventurous ideas, where people connect to learn, share, explore, and experiment.
Last month, BAM hosted MSNBC Live: Democracy 2024 and we were delighted to participate as the catering partner for BAM. Notable hosts and experts from MSNBC including Rachel Maddow, Steve Kornacki, Jen Psaki, and many more were gathered in one place, live on stage, leading thought-provoking, in-depth discussions about topics that matter most in the final weeks of this historic election cycle.
The highlight of the event was the “This is Who We Are Dinner and Reception”, a sold-out program held on September 7 at The Adam Space in the Peter Jay Sharp Building. Attendees enjoyed a delicious dinner prepared by Great Performances’ talented chefs as they heard directly from the MSNBC hosts, learning their personal insights and perspectives.
Gary Bedigan, Senior Event Producer at Great Performances, planned this event working closely with the teams from MSNBC and BAM, to ensure a flawlessly executed event. We worked with Party Rental Ltd on the equipment and rental furniture, and Botanica provided the floral arrangements for the table, creating a dynamic space for the lively conversations that followed the presentations and discussions. The high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows provided an uplifting space to discuss the future of democracy in the world. The lively conversations were filled with hope and optimism, echoed by the twinkling lights that spanned the arches and along the windows of The Adam Space.
The seated dinner included a full bar and a selection of beer and wine, attended by a full complement of staff.
MSNBC Live: This is Who We Are Dinner and Reception Menu
First Course
GP Fall Wedge Salad – romaine, blue cheese mousse, sundried tomato, mushroom, chive, affilla cress
Entrée
Glazed Short Rib and Charred Tomato – roasted baby heirloom carrots, charred tomato, end of summer carrot puree
Plated Dessert
Banana Chocolate Sea Salt Tart – chocolate mousseline, chocolate croustillant
About 10 years ago, thanks to Adam Kaye, I learned how to can…you know…what countless number of home cooks have been doing for decades – “putting food up”. The genie was out of the bottle and I became obsessed with preserving the delicious produce of the growing season.
More than the art of preservation, it was the joy of giving a jar of something that I made in my home kitchen to someone I loved – or to a new friend – that unleashed the urge to gather the best seasonal fruits and veggies and then invent and embrace creative recipes. It all sounds very romantic…and it is but for the reality of what it takes to make 1,000 jars in your home every year!
Buying the right sized jars is one task and they are often either out of stock or overpriced by greedy merchants. I have my outlets and I won’t share where they are, but I am a good customer. I have to haul them home to the dismay of everyone involved in my travels and schlepping.
Getting the fruits is another task – knowing when the apricots are in (or going out of season), buying locally, getting great seconds (because they are half the price and just as good if not better for my purposes). Egers, in Columbia County is the source of 95% of my fruit. Veggies come from my home garden or Katchkie Farm. Sometimes, another local farmer has something I just cannot resist. Hauling, storing, chopping, dicing produce is a full time job! Did I mention I already have a full time job?
Other details: Canning equipment; the right pots for cooking and sterilizing; pectin…and the right pectin; extra lids. The list isn’t endless, it is just detailed. This is a process that requires strict attention to detail. Yup. Sounds like fun…and it is….but you really need to pay attention.
Then there is the fun part of blending flavors. For example, I had some amazing melon that just called to be added to a blueberry jam last summer. Who would have thought that would be a match? There are the traditional blends of rhubarb with strawberry, ginger with apricot, etc. But then the other night, while roasting Italian plums for jam, I added some sweet tiny grapes, pears and peaches to the mix – and voila –,deliciousness!
I could go on forever about the magic of the stove top, things simmering away or roasting in the oven while the cauldrons of boiling water await; the flavors and accents that make their way to the stage; the beautiful produce that will have an extended life and travel to new homes. My husband calls it my Laboratory. It is my happy place.
As global awareness of climate change reaches critical levels, Climate Week has emerged as a vital platform for dialogue, innovation, and action. At GP, we’re not just talking about sustainability—we’re actively contributing by embedding environmentally friendly practices into every aspect of our event services.
For Climate Week 2024, we’re proud to showcase our ongoing efforts in support of a healthier planet. Here’s how GP is making a difference:
1) Crafting Sustainable Menus: Vegan, Plant-Forward, and Local Ingredients
At the heart of our sustainability mission is the food we serve. We design event menus that reflect our commitment to the environment by emphasizing:
2) Reducing Waste Through Food Rescue Programs
We believe that food should nourish, not go to waste. After our events, we partner with local organizations to coordinate the pickup and redistribution of leftover food, ensuring it reaches food pantries and shelters in need. By actively participating in food rescue efforts, we’re helping combat both food insecurity and food waste—a win for the planet and our communities.
3) Farm-to-Table: Sourcing from Our Organic Farm in Upstate NY
GP proudly operates an organic farm in upstate New York, where we grow many of the fresh ingredients featured in our event menus. From farm-fresh vegetables to artisanal herbs, we are dedicated to providing the highest-quality, sustainable ingredients that our guests can feel good about enjoying.
4) Sustainable Disposables: Eco-Friendly Choices
When it comes to disposable items, our standards are simple: they must meet strict sustainability criteria. Whether it’s biodegradable cutlery or compostable packaging, we ensure that every item we use minimizes environmental impact. These choices might seem small, but they make a big difference in reducing waste at large-scale events.
5) Catering for Change: Climate Week Events We’re Supporting
This year, GP is thrilled to be catering some of the most impactful Climate Week events, including:
As we cater these important events, we’re not only providing delicious food but also showcasing how sustainable practices can be integrated into every aspect of event planning.
Our Commitment Moving Forward
At GP, we understand that sustainability is a journey. As we continue to explore new ways to reduce our environmental impact, we remain dedicated to working with clients and partners who share our vision of a more sustainable future.
During Climate Week and beyond, we invite everyone to join us in taking meaningful steps—whether through menu choices, waste reduction, or sourcing decisions—that collectively lead to a healthier planet.
At Great Performances, food is woven into every moment from a quick coffee break to a grand celebratory feast. We bring this belief to life through delicious food, warm hospitality, and boundless culinary creativity. At the heart of it all is our Chefs’ Choir℠ ensemble – a unique and diverse group of extraordinary chefs and cooks who power our catering, café, and restaurant services. With their diverse talents, perspectives, and culinary expertise, they shape the unforgettable menus that define our events, from corporate gatherings and nonprofit galas to weddings and milestone celebrations; and that feed our diners at our cafés and restaurants.
Through the Chefs’ Choir℠ ensemble, our chefs step beyond the kitchen to share their passion and expertise directly with you. They offer recipes to try at home, stories that inspire, insights into their craft, and tips to elevate your cooking. Whether you’re looking to recreate a signature dish, explore new techniques, or simply find fresh inspiration, the Chefs’ Choir℠ ensemble brings the artistry and creativity of Great Performances into your home, making every meal a celebration.
This month, we’re celebrating Climate Week and sharing recipes that contribute to a healthier planet. We asked our chefs to raise their culinary voices and share dishes that are vegan, vegetarian, or plant forward; dishes that use the entire ingredient, from root to frond; and dishes that highlight ingredients that are more sustainable for the planet.
Check out their delicious contributions – and let us know which ones you’ve tried!
King Oyster Mushrooms are a great substitute for animal proteins in a lot of dishes including these “chicken wings”. Meaty and juicy, they’re especially delicious
The United Nations declared 2023 International Year of Millets (IYM 2023). Millets have high nutritive value, are gluten free and have low glycemic index. Even though
Chef Alan Hepner shares his sustainable, zero-waste recipe for Veggie & Lentil Burgers. As you’re preparing the vegetables, be sure to save all the scraps
King Oyster Mushrooms are a great substitute for animal proteins in a lot of dishes including these “chicken wings”. Meaty and juicy, they’re especially delicious with Chef Joe Bachman’s sauce and a great way to celebrate Climate Week.
For the Wings
For the Sauce
Prepare the Sauce
Prepare the Wings
The United Nations declared 2023 International Year of Millets (IYM 2023).
Millets have high nutritive value, are gluten free and have low glycemic index.
Even though millets have been a nutritional staple in diets throughout Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia for thousands of years, the UN has noted that their cultivation is declining in many countries just as their potential to address climate change and food security is beginning to come to light.
Therefore, we’re celebrating Climate Week with a staple millet dish from India. Every time this dish is cooked, we use the entire vegetable to preserve maximum nutritional value and eliminate waste. Any vegetables with their peel can be added to this recipe and slow cooking is the key, as it’s one of the cooking techniques which retains the maximum color of vegetables and preserves vitamins minerals during the process which helps nourish and heal the body.
Serve Vegetable Millet Khichdi warm.
Chef Alan Hepner shares his sustainable, zero-waste recipe for Veggie & Lentil Burgers. As you’re preparing the vegetables, be sure to save all the scraps as they can be used when you prepare the lentils to help flavor the broth and the lentils!
Any time you have some leftover bread that’s getting stale, break it up into crumbs either with your hands or in a food processor, and toast in a low oven till dry. Store in an airtight container until needed.
When preparing dishes using vegetables, save the scraps to use in the dish if it has a cooking liquid or store in your freezer until you have enough to make a broth.
In this recipe, we’ll reserve the garlic and onion skins and their trimmings, and the scraps and trimmings from the bell pepper and carrot. We like to wrap them in some cheesecloth before we add to the cooking liquid for the lentils so that they’re easy to remove.
Sear on both sides on a very hot sauté pan and enjoy as desired!
At Great Performances, food is woven into every moment from a quick coffee break to a grand celebratory feast. We bring this belief to life through delicious food, warm hospitality, and boundless culinary creativity. At the heart of it all is our Chefs’ Choir℠ ensemble – a unique and diverse group of extraordinary chefs and cooks who power our catering, café, and restaurant services. With their diverse talents, perspectives, and culinary expertise, they shape the unforgettable menus that define our events, from corporate gatherings and nonprofit galas to weddings and milestone celebrations; and that feed our diners at our cafés and restaurants.
Through the Chefs’ Choir℠ ensemble, our chefs step beyond the kitchen to share their passion and expertise directly with you. They offer recipes to try at home, stories that inspire, insights into their craft, and tips to elevate your cooking. Whether you’re looking to recreate a signature dish, explore new techniques, or simply find fresh inspiration, the Chefs’ Choir℠ ensemble brings the artistry and creativity of Great Performances into your home, making every meal a celebration.
We’ve had a toasty summer and the last thing on anyone’s mind is standing over the stove to cook a meal. We’re sharing some of our favorite recipes that won’t heat up your kitchen but still deliver exceptional flavor. We’re also making taking advantage of fresh summer produce – we guarantee these recipes will be on repeat!
Take advantage of summer tomatoes and escape the heat with Chef Solanki Roy’s recipe for Gazpacho. Cold, refreshing, and incredibly delicious it’s the perfect start or star of any summer meal.
This is not your everyday watermelon salad – although we bet you’ll want to eat it every day! Pickling the watermelon rinds is a great
As part of our Summer Barbeque collection, Chef Joe Bachman shares his recipe for Grilled Corn & Tomato Panzanella Salad.
Cheers to Summer BBQs! Beat the heat with Chef Brandi Solomon’s cool, crisp, and refreshing Tipsy Pineapple Cocktail Recipe.
Charred zucchini stars in this easy salad that’ll keep you from overheating in the kitchen. Avocado adds a luxurious bites, while salty feta and fresh mint balance the flavors.
Summer months and Gazpacho have an eternal bond. We all love chilled soup in summer. So here is a recipe of Gazpacho. Tomatoes are at their best this season so chilled Gazpacho not only fills you but cools you down. We had our signature Gazpacho at 550 Madison made from Katchkie Tomatoes, and it has been the customers favorite.
