Chef Joe Bachman’s Vegan King Oyster Mushroom “Chicken Wings”
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
By Great Performances
On the evening of Monday, February 24th, ten high school and college students from The Bronx presented their innovative recommendations for enhancements of the Great Performances website and for a Bronx inspired catering menu to Great Performances Founder and Chair Liz Neumark and Culinary Director Rob Valencia at The Bronx Campus of the Metropolitan College of New York.
The presentation was the culmination of the students’ 22-week participation in the groundbreaking Thinkubator program powered by The Bronx Private Industry Council (The Bronx PIC). Imported From Germany’s DO School, and only realized by The Bronx PIC so far in the U.S., Thinkubator is a consultancy-style, work-based learning program wherein students are challenged by local employers to create solutions to real-world business problems.
During this time, and under the tutelage of teacher Rishauna Zumberg, the students were able to visit Great Performances’ offices and kitchen, where they met with various teams and learned how a business with the scope and reach of Great Performances is run.
They also had the opportunity to visit Katchkie Farm, Great Performances’ organic farm in Kinderhook, New York, where they met Farmer Jon and learned about the farm and where some of our food comes from.
Back in The Bronx, the challenge presented by Great Performances to the Thinkubator innovators was how can the company integrate Bronx culture to boost competitive edge. After the site-visits and discussions with Neumark, Valencia and other members of the Great Performances team, the students offered three options, out of which two would be fully developed for presentation: a short film about GP; a website renovation, and a GP operated restaurant in The Bronx. Neumark asked them to focus on the latter two.
The students were divided into two teams to tackle the assignments and spent over a month flushing out their initial suggestions into viable thoughtfully curated recommendations.
For the GP website, they concentrated on adding new energy and points of engagement with such mechanisms as: incorporating video into different sections; including a live feed of GP’s Instagram on the home page; integrating a playlist of the music the staff listens to in GP’s commissary kitchen; and creating a signature cursor in the guise of a broccoli crown as a nod to GP’s plant-forward food philosophy.
For the restaurant, the student innovators looked to the diversity of the borough’s population which was represented on their team, and devised a pan-Latin menu they dubbed “Bronx Eats” drawing primarily on the culinary traditions of the team members’ Dominican, Honduran, Mexican and Puerto Rican heritage. In fact, each student contributed a dish with which he or she have a personal relationship. Witness the horchata that Ryan Laing once used to bribe his brothers – who had been denied any due to misbehavior – into cleaning his room. However, their mother’s homemade rendition of the Honduran beverage favorite was so delicious, Laing drank it all himself, leaving nothing for his room cleaning siblings.
After the student presentations, Neumark and Valencia each provided feedback. They were both captivated by the students’ presentations and recommendations, and pledged right-then-and-there to adopt some of them, and they envisioned the Bronx Eats menu as a new food station choice for catering clients, as that would be the most effective way to showcase this cuisine. Indeed, Neumark declared for each station sold, a donation will be made to The Bronx PIC’S parent HERE to HERE, The Bronx based nonprofit that unites employers, educators and community-based organizations to connect young people with family sustaining careers and create a thriving inclusive economy.
Her announcement met with enthusiastic applause from an audience comprised of Here to Here stakeholders, Thinkubator director Dr. Edward Summers, Bronx community advocate and President of Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation (BOEDC) Marlene Cintron, and the principals of Dream Yard, which collaborates with HERE to HERE to build pathways to opportunity for Bronx youth, as well as the Thinkubator students’ parents and friends.
Great Performances is proud to have worked with these creative young men and women on their projects, and Liz was thrilled to provide inspiration to such a captive, young audience. It was a two-way street, as well; she was equally as inspired by the curiosity and enthusiasm shown by the students throughout all of this.
Liz cannot stress enough how important this overall experience was as part of her vision and commitment to nurturing these crucial community relationships in Great Performances’ new home borough of The Bronx. With her new neighbors and friends here, she is wholly committed to connecting, building, and prospering together.
By Great Performances
Explore Great Music, Art and More at Our Partner Venues This Month!
Apollo Comedy Club
Thursday, March 5 at 10:00 pm
Featuring: Natasha Face, Lamarr Todd, Mickey Housley
Hosted by: Fig
Music by: DJ Qool Marv
The Apollo Comedy Club celebrates the Theater’s rich comedic roots. Presented in partnership with the legendary Bob Sumner (producer of Def Comedy Jam, creator of LaffMobb on Aspire), the Apollo Comedy Club features the best up and coming talent in comedy today. The comedy shows precedes the Theater’s weekend music series, Apollo Music Café, extending the Theater’s late night offerings. Purchase tickets.
Fabolous Cold Summer Tour
Friday, March 6 at 8:00 pm
Fabolous brings his Cold Summer Tour stop to Harlem at the Apollo Theater. He will be performing songs off the extremely well received album, Summer Shoot Out 3, as well as many other hits. The F to the A.B. Kid from Brooklyn is going to light up the stage on 125th street.
Many surprises are expected, so get your tickets while you can.
Apollo Music Cafe:
Broadway Uptown – Jason Michael Webb & Lelund Durond Thompson
Friday, March 6 at 10:00 pm
Tonight, Broadway is taking the A-train and coming uptown! Composers Jason Michael Webb and Lelund Derond Thompson (First Noel, Wildflower and Choir Boy) deliver an evening of songs and stories with friends from Broadway. Purchase tickets.
Apollo Music Cafe: Storm Marrero
Saturday, March 7 at 10:00 pm
Tonight’s forecast is warm, steamy and unpredictable as Storm Marrero takes the stage for an unforgettable night of songs. This sought-after diva plans to unleash a flood-gate of music that includes a night of Latin, pop and soul.
Storm Marrero is a proud Brooklyn native who studied voice under the tutelage of veteran opera singers at the University of Puerto Rico’s prestigious musical theater department. Storm recently completed a three-year run with New York’s premier dance company Company XIV and recognized as the first Afro-Latina Ringmaster of the Big Apple Circus. Marrero’s EP entitled Black Gypsy is available on iTunes and Amazon. Purchase tickets.
Amateur Night At The Apollo: Quarter Final
Wednesday, March 11 at 7:30 pm
The winners of recent Amateur Night shows come together to show off their talent in this Quarter-Final and compete for the chance to move on to the Semi-Finals on May 13th. Contestants who make it this far can compete for the title of Grand Finale Winner and a cash prize ($5,000 in the Child Star category and $20,000 in the Adult category) on November 25th!
Aspiring musicians, singers, dancers, comedians, rappers and spoken word artists try their best to please the audiences that can make them an Apollo legend. Then get ready to cheer or jeer as you decide who stays and who gets booted off stage. At Amateur Night, you tell the performers to be good or be gone!
Amateur Night at the Apollo is hosted by the comedian Capone. Each show begins with a festive pre-party featuring video and music by DJ Jess. And keep a lookout for C.P. Lacey, the resident Executioner who sweeps bad talent off the stage. Purchase tickets.
Apollo Live Wire: Aretha!
Tuesday, March 24 at 6:30 pm
Live Wire takes a deep dive into the artistry of Franklin with a conversation led by writer and cultural critic Emily J. Lordi and three scholars and culture workers — Fredara Hadley, DJ Lynnée Denise, and Portia Maultsby– offering an opportunity to learn more about the still understudied subject of Franklin’s musicianship. RSVP here.
First Friday Leo Bar
Friday, March 6, 6:00 – 9:00 pm
Join us for the return of our First Friday Leo Bars and check out Asia Society Museum’s new exhibition The Art of Impermanence: Japanese Works from the John C. Weber Collection and Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection for free. The museum stays open late from 6–9 p.m., offering free admission, exhibition tours, drink specials, and late night shopping at AsiaStore.
FREE MUSEUM ADMISSION
GUIDED EXHIBITION TOURS
DRINK SPECIALS by Great Performances
(Happy hour prices from 6–7 p.m.)JAPANESE GREEN TEA TASTING & MATCHA DEMONSTRATION by Masha Tea
ACTIVITIES INSPIRED BY THE ART OF IMPERMANENCE
ASIASTORE DISCOUNTS
Exhibition Lecture Series
My Thoughts Dyed With You: Perspectives On Impermanence In Japanese Art – Sinead Vilbar
Wednesday, March 11, 6:30 – 8:00 pm
In historical Japan, commentaries on Buddhist scripture and the production of poetry provided two means of communicating about the ephemeral nature of human existence. As our own eyes are dyed with the features of calligraphies, objects, and paintings presented in this exhibition, we reanimate the past performances of words imbued with deep spiritual and emotional significance captured in this art. Learn more.
In conjunction with Asia Week New York, March 12–19+, 2020.
Exhibition Lecture Series
Monuments To Impermanence: New Inspirations From Ancient Japanese Stone Circles And Burial Mounds – Simon Kaner
Tuesday, March 31, 6:30 – 8:00 pm
The ancient preliterate inhabitants of the Japanese archipelago marked the passing of time through the creation of monuments, including Jōmon stone circles and massive burial mounds (kofun), some inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage. New meanings are being sought among these monuments in modern Japan. This lecture addresses how the preservation of these ruins speaks to an aesthetic of impermanence. Learn more.
Theater: Medea
With Rose Byrne and Bobby Cannavale
Written and Directed by Simon Stone
Extended through Sunday, March 8
Euripides’ controversial icon is reborn in visionary director Simon Stone’s (Yerma) stunning contemporary rewrite. Rose Byrne (Damages, Bridesmaids, You Can’t Take It with You) and Bobby Cannavale (The Lifespan of a Fact, The Hairy Ape, The Motherf**ker with the Hat) face off as a husband and wife in the tumultuous throes of an unraveling marriage. Transposing the devastation of Greek tragedy to a modern American home, Stone’s stripped-bare staging throws the couple’s every raw emotion into stark relief, from jealousy to passion, humor to despair. Who will pay the price? Purchase tickets.
Artist Circle: Breaking The Waves
Tuesday, March 10 at 6:30 pm
An evening with
Missy Mazzoli
Yannick Nézet-Séguin
in conversation with
Anthony Roth Costanzo
Artist Circle members and above are invited to an intimate evening of enlightening discussion moderated by Anthony Roth Costanzo with composer Missy Mazzoli and maestro Yannick Nézet-Séguin, who share their insights into BAM’s upcoming production of Breaking the Waves (Jun 26—30). Learn more.
Film: Bacurau
Part of Film series Rise Up!: Portraits of Resistance
Directed by Kleber Mendonça Filho & Juliano Dornelles
With Sônia Braga, Bárbara Colen, Thomas Aquino, Silvero Pereira
In the tranquil, tightly knit backcountry village of Bacurau, in a not-too-distant future Brazil, something strange is stirring. The town has disappeared from the virtual map, all cellular reception has been lost, and a mysterious UFO-like object hovers ominously overhead. Something sinister is encroaching on Bacurau and even if they don’t know what it is, the residents are ready. Both a hypnotically intense, no-holds-barred sci-fi survival thriller and a stunningly subversive howl of anti-colonialist fury, this genre-bending parable of exploitation and resistance explodes with the force of a Molotov cocktail hurled straight into the eye of racial and political oppression. Learn more.
Studio 54: Night Magic
March 13 – July 5, 2020 (Member Preview March 12)
Studio 54: Night Magic traces the radiant history, social politics, and trailblazing aesthetics of the most iconic nightclub of all time. Behind the velvet rope, partygoers of all backgrounds and lifestyles could come together for nights of music, dazzling lights, and the popular song and dance “The Hustle.”
Following the Vietnam War, and amid the nationwide Civil Rights Movement and fights for LGBTQ+ and women’s rights, a nearly bankrupted New York City hungered for social and creative transformation as well as a sense of joyous celebration after years of protest and upheaval. Low rents attracted a diversity of artists, fashion designers, writers, and musicians, catalyzing the invention of new art forms, including musical genres such as punk, hip-hop, and disco. In a rare societal shift, people from different sexual, sociopolitical, and financial strata intermingled freely in the after-hours nightclubs of New York City. No place exemplified this more than Studio 54.
Organized chronologically, Studio 54: Night Magic uses photography, fashion, drawing, and film, as well as never-before-exhibited costume illustrations, set proposals, and designs, to place the nightclub within the wider history of New York, from Prohibition through the 1970s. Blueprints and architecture models illustrate the club’s innovative development and creation, while documentation of extravagant theme parties traces its thirty-three month run. The exhibition continues through the years after the nightclub’s closure, showing the ongoing influence of Studio 54 aesthetics. Purchase tickets.
Pop-Up Performance: Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra
Sunday, March 15, 2:00 – 3:30 pm
Drop by Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra’s series of intimate pop-up performances, highlighting members and featured musicians as the Orchestra in Residence fills our galleries with a family-friendly range of classical music from across the globe.
Free with Museum admission. Learn more.
Hustle Party
Thursday, March 19, 6:00 – 9:30 pm
Celebrate the art of the hustle in honor of our special exhibition Studio 54: Night Magic! Join us at 6 pm to learn the dance, popularized at the world-famous nightclub, in a class led by Marlene Veras, resident instructor for our monthly Salsa Party with Balmir Latin Dance Studio. Then, get into the Studio 54 spirit with live music, social dancing, and performances by Brooklyn’s best hustle dancers.
This event is free, but RSVP is required before 6 am on Thursday, March 19.
Rosen House Tours
Select Wednesdays through Mid-June at 2:00 pm
Enter a Mediterranean-style house inspired by Old World Europe, cultivated and curated by Caramoor’s founders Walter and Lucie Rosen. Renaissance artifacts from a gilded bed that belonged to Pope Urban VIII to entire rooms shipped from Europe, and a stunning Asian collection are some of the many incredible discoveries waiting here. Learn more.
Schwab Vocal Rising Stars: The Art Of Pleasure
Sunday, March 15th at 3:00 pm
With music by Rachmaninoff, Bernstein, Tom Lehrer, John Musto, and many others, this program will feature four young singers and a pianist selected by Artistic Director Steven Blier for a weeklong residency at Caramoor. Assisted by Michael Barrett, Associate Director of the New York Festival of Song (NYFOS), and developed in conjunction with NYFOS, the week will include daily coaching, rehearsals and workshops, and culminate in this Music Room performance exploring the wealth and breadth of song repertoire. Learn more.
Camille Thurman And The Darrell Green Trio
March 13-15
The multitalented Camille Thurman is a formidable saxophonist and has performed extensively with artists ranging from the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, Dr. Billy Taylor, George Coleman, Lew Tabackin, and George Benson to Chaka Khan, Alicia Keys, and Missy Elliot. The best way to experience the full scope of Thurman’s artistry is to catch one of her performances as bandleader, such as tonight’s showcase with her regular working band, the outstanding Darrell Green Trio. Purchase tickets.
DIVA Jazz Orchestra Swings Broadway
March 19 – 22, 7:30 & 9:30 pm
The all-female DIVA Jazz Orchestra exudes the excitement and force found in the historic big band tradition. With Dizzy’s Club as its “New York City home,” DIVA performs all over the world, playing contemporary, mainstream big band jazz composed and arranged to fit the individual personalities and styles of the musicians. Tonight’s program features a reimagining of classic tunes from My Fair Lady, The Music Man, Westside Story, Oklahoma, Damn Yankees, The Sound of Music, and more.
Audiences can expect super-charged and swinging takes on these favorite Broadway standards packed with stunning improvisation, spontaneity, and an emphasis on fun. Purchase tickets.
Duduka Da Fonseca And Helio Alves Featuring Maucha Adnet: Samba Jazz & Jobim
March 26 – 29, 7:30 & 9:30 pm
With drummer Duduka da Fonseca, pianist Helio Alves, vocalist Maucha Adnet, flutist Billy Drewes, guitarist Chico Pinheiro, bassist Hans Glawisching, & bassist Martin Wind (3/26 only).
Tonight’s samba jazz showcase features three of Brazil’s most in-demand musicians, two of whom worked closely with the iconic Antonio Carlos Jobim. Drummer Duduka da Fonseca (of Trio da Paz), pianist Helio Alves, and vocalist Maucha Adnet are all experts in this music, each of them recognized internationally for expanding the worlds of jazz and Latin music. The music is truly infectious, featuring dazzling rhythms, daring improvisations, and soul-stirring harmonies. Come enjoy samba jazz performed by those who know it best. Purchase tickets.
Juilliard Jazz Ensambles: The Music Of Charles Mingus
Tuesday, March 31, 7:30 & 9:30 pm
The Juilliard School has been a destination for world-class music education since it was founded, and these incredible young musicians will exemplify that legacy in this performance. The Juilliard School Jazz Ensemble features some of the world’s most talented emerging jazz artists, many of whom are already professional musicians. No stranger to Dizzy’s Club, the ensemble has also performed at noted venues such as the Blue Note and Alice Tully Hall.
These gifted young musicians are proof of jazz’s bright future, and tonight they celebrate the essential, almost mythical New Orleans icon Buddy Bolden, the great cornetist and bandleader who helped develop jazz during its earliest stages. Purchase tickets.
Exhibition: Rita Ackermann. Mama ‘19
Through April 11
Hauser & Wirth presents the latest body of work by Hungarian born, New York-based artist Rita Ackermann: a suite of new paintings in which figures and motifs rise to the surface of canvases, only to dissolve and reappear elsewhere again.
In such works as ‘Mama Painting for Mars’ (2019), repeated figurative imagery and expanses of intense color combine in complex visual currents. In other works, Ackermann’s distinctive approach to layering of drawings, yields a framework for a maelstrom of vibrant pigments and textures that seem to advance toward the viewer with velocity.
Like Ackermann’s Chalkboard Paintings (2015), the works on view in ‘Mama ‘19’ are built through an additive and subtractive process. Here, her palette and gestural vocabulary has expanded to evoke a vibrant interior realm through the application of paint. Thick layers of impasto and oil stick are vigorously and repeatedly applied and scraped in such works as ‘Mama, Morty Smoking’ (2019), with both the paintbrush and the artist’s bare hands working to shape a site of ancestry and conception.
As an extension of the exhibition, ‘Rita Ackermann, Mama ‘19’ is accompanied by a publication featuring essays by Scott Griffin and Harmony Korine. Learn more.
Exhibition: Larry Bell. Still Standing
Through April 11
Hauser & Wirth’s exhibition ‘Larry Bell. Still Standing,’ presents a range of the artist’s sculptural works from the 1970s to the present day. A pioneer in his approach to the surface treatment of glass, and a master of unprecedented explorations of light, reflection, and shadow, Bell has documented perceptual phenomena through a tirelessly inventive sculptural practice. This exhibition charts a less explored, but seminal moment in Bell’s practice when he began to radically deconstruct his signature glass cubes into the more architecturally-scaled, fragmented, crystalline forms or what he referred to as ‘standing walls.’ ‘Still Standing’ also presents a number of the artist’s small-scale studies, illuminating Bell’s process as he meditated on scale and translated his ideas into larger sculptural works.
Rather than being contained, Bell’s standing walls were site-specific to every space in which they were presented, wholly permeable to their setting. The immersive environments created by his standing walls were capable of challenging perception in new ways, their expansiveness opening viewers up to other ways of seeing. In examining this body of work, the exhibition highlights the artist’s critical contribution to the history of Minimalism and installation art. The exhibition traces Bell’s evolution after a move to Taos, New Mexico in 1973. Finding conventional gallery spaces of the time could not physically accommodate what he aspired to produce, Bell set out to make work on his own terms. Learn more.
The Artistry Of Jazzmeia Horn: Love And Liberation
March 6 & 7, 7:00 & 9:30 pm
Jazzmeia Horn thinks everyone deserves to “express themselves fully, without fear or reservation”—and she’s here to lead by example. Horn has confidently taken the jazz world by storm since winning the 2015 International Thelonious Monk Vocal Competition, and the Love and Liberation tour is Horn truly coming into her own. An ode to unapologetic self-love and honest expression, this is Horn’s first collection of almost-entirely original material.
This Appel Room feature debut will include the same band from the album: Josh Evans on trumpet, Irwin Hall on saxophone, Keith Brown on piano, Ben Williams on bass, Anwar Marshall on drums, and dancer Alexandria Johnson. Every musician in this young group is a prominent bandleader and first-call sideman, and ’s vivacious leadership brings them together with an unmistakable and infectious chemistry. Purchase tickets.
Ambrose Akinmusire’s Large Ensemble Presents BANYAN
March 27 & 28, 7:00 & 9:30 pm
Trumpeter and composer Ambrose Akinmusire has been one of the most exciting musicians to emerge in the 21st century. As a composer and bandleader, Akinmusire brings truth to the notion that music alone can be as immersive and transportive as any form of art. Though he’s one of the hottest trumpeters around, it’s the full musical worlds he creates as a composer that make each new project so eagerly anticipated.
For his Jazz at Lincoln Center debut as a headliner, Akinmusire will perform his extended banyan suite, featuring his ensemble with extremely special guests. The powerful, original suite of music explores the role of mentorship in the oral and aural traditions of society and jazz. With living legends Jack DeJohnette and Tom Harrell on board, the performance exemplifies jazz as a living continuum, bringing together generations of distinctive voices through new music. Purchase tickets.
Cambodian Rock Band By Lauren Yee
Through March 15
Guitars tuned. Mic checked. Get ready to rock! This darkly funny, electric new play with music tells the story of a Khmer Rouge survivor returning to Cambodia for the first time in thirty years, as his daughter prepares to prosecute one of Cambodia’s most infamous war criminals. Backed by a live band playing contemporary Dengue Fever hits and classic Cambodian oldies, this thrilling story toggles back and forth in time as father and daughter face the music of the past. Directed by Chay Yew, the New York premiere of this intimate rock epic about family secrets is set against a dark chapter of Cambodian history. Purchase tickets here.
The Hot Wing King By Katori Hall
Through March 22
Ready, set, fry! It’s time for the annual “Hot Wang Festival” in Memphis, Tennessee, and Cordell Crutchfield knows he has the wings that’ll make him king. Supported by his beau Dwayne and their culinary clique, The New Wing Order, Cordell is marinating and firing up his frying pan in a bid to reclaim the crispy crown. When Dwayne takes in his troubled nephew however, it becomes a recipe for disaster. Suddenly, a first place trophy isn’t the only thing Cordell risks losing. Steve H. Broadnax III will direct this sizzling world premiere comedy from Residency 5 playwright Katori Hall (Hurt Village, Our Lady of Kibeho). Purchase tickets here.
In celebration of The Hot Wing King, you can enjoy Memphis Style Wings made by Great Performances on Fridays and Saturdays through the run of the production.
Win your place on The Hot Wing Royalty Portrait if you eat 20 Memphis Style Wings before the performance! We’ll take your Polaroid picture and proudly add it to the display in the Lobby! #HotWingKingNYC
Pre-Concert Tea
Sunday, March 15, 12:00 – 2:00 pm
Enjoy Afternoon Tea in the Mark Twain Room prior to today’s concert in Armor Hall. The Café at Wave Hill pairs a classic menu with an assortment of green, black and herbal teas. This traditional tea service includes the four classic elements of savory, scones, sweets and tea. The menu, presented by Great Performances, includes an array of tea sandwiches, scones and bite-sized desserts. Afternoon Tea also includes a glass of sparkling wine. Learn more.
Concert: PUBLIQuartet
Sunday, March 15 at 2:00 pm
Mind The Gap is an original project developed in 2011 by PUBLIQuartet. The concept bridges the gap between diverse musical genres through group improvisation. Their brand of rock meets jazz meets stylistically crazed group composition touches on deeper connections between traditional, modern and contemporary music. Concerts begin at 2PM and last approximately one hour with no intermission. Learn more.
Garden And Conservatory Highlights Walk
Sunday, February 23 at 2:00 pm
After being shown a glimpse of the horticultural world, Uziel Crescenzi dove right in. He changed his major from architecture to plant science and transferred to the State University of New York College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill. Since graduation he has interned at the Arnold Arboretum, Wave Hill and The American Gardener, experiences that prompted him to complete the Master of Landscape Architecture program at The City College of New York, Bernard Anne Spitzer School of Architecture, this past June.
Crescenzi’s talk will focus on the insights he has gained—so far—concerning public and private horticulture and environmental assessment. Learn more.
By Great Performances
In March, the Great Performances’ culinary team pays tribute to the healthy, versatile, and uncomplicated potato. Spuds are heart-healthy because they contain ample amounts of potassium, vitamin C and fiber. Also rich in vitamin B6, calcium, magnesium, and iron, they help boost the immune system, improve energy levels and contribute to overall health. Darker colored potatoes also contain antioxidants known as anthocyanins which slow down the aging process and keep the brain sharp.
An easy-to-make food for all seasons and occasions, you can bake, roast, grill, fry or even boil them, and they can be eaten hot or cold. There are fewer foods that lend themselves so well to topping – butter, sour cream, cheese, gravy, bacon bits, and more. The possibilities are endless!
This month, from Signature Cafe’s Potato, Provolone, and Pancetta Flatbread to BAM Cafe’s Patatas Bravas with Pimenton Aioli, enjoy our favorite dishes showcasing potatoes in a variety of delicious ways. You can also make them yourself using the easy-to-make Potato Rosti recipe below or check out the Katchkie Farm recipe archive for even more great potato ideas!
CELEBRATE POTATOES AT GREAT PERFORMANCES’ RESTAURANTS & CAFÉS
BREAKFAST POTATO CAKE, SUNNYSIDE EGG, AND BACON – March 20-21
POTATO ROSTI, SMOKED SALMON WITH SIDE SALAD – March 20-21
POTATO, PROVOLONE, AND PANCETTA FLATBREAD – March 20-21
LEMON, ROSEMARY, AND GARLIC-SCENTED HOMEFRIES – March 21-22
BAM CAFÉ AT BROOKLYN ACADEMY OF MUSIC
PATATAS BRAVAS – with Pimenton Aioli, March 20-21
POTATO ROSTI
By Chef Saul Bolton
A cross between a hash brown and potato pancake, the rosti is a Swiss dish often served for breakfast but is versatile enough to eat with any meal. Delicious eaten as is, it’s also the perfect base for eggs, smoked salmon, a peppery arugula salad or a variety of other toppings.
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
PROCEDURE
1 pound Idaho or russet potatoes, peeled and grated on the large holes of a box grater
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1 cup canola oil
Salt and pepper
- Squeeze excess water out of grated potato, then season with salt, pepper and thyme.
- Divide seasoned potato into 6 equal portions, molding into discs of equal thickness with smooth edges.
- Add oil to frying pan and heat over medium flame.
- Add the potato discs in batches, being careful not to crowd the pan, and fry until uniformly golden brown and cooked through, approximately 10 minutes on each side.
- Drain and keep warm on a cookie rack in a 200˚ oven.
- Season lightly with salt and pepper then serve with your topping of choice.
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SURPRISE, WE ARE THE SINATROS!
Planning a Wedding at the Plaza Hotel
By Emily Reifel
It’s not every year that the wedding season kicks off in January, but in 2020 it did just that with an intimate and unique affair – the Sinatro wedding.
I had the pleasure of speaking to Beth, the mother of the groom. A mother of two boys Darren and Alec, and a wife to her amazing husband Tim, she told me how she never in her life expected to plan a wedding, but here she was calling The Plaza to plan one. Her son Darren and fiancée Selin reside in London and really put their trust in Beth to make their celebration memorable.
We met in person because at that point she wanted to see the The Plaza so she could get a feel for what she wanted to do with the space. We started our conversation discussing the big day, but we ended up talking more about life and common acquaintances than the actual wedding.
I was enamored by the international feel of the wedding that Beth envisioned, with the bride originally from Turkey, and the couple now living abroad. Their guest list comprised friends and family from all around the world. We locked down a date and went straight to planning.
Beth and I curated the perfect team to create what Beth had in mind: a classic, formal dinner party. David Beahm’s team was up for the challenge of creating the perfect vibe in The Terrace Room. That’s right – we didn’t use The Grand Ballroom!
Throughout the process, I met with Beth and her husband multiple times. We had an ongoing joke that the wedding would be a complete surprise for Darren and Selin. Soon it was time for our tasting, and I was so excited to finally meet this mysterious couple.
As life has it, though, unexpected life challenges wouldn’t allow the couple to travel to NYC that day, so Beth, Tim, Tiffany and I toasted in their honor and selected a fabulous menu! Darren and Selin were about to be surprised with so many wonderful details! Soon thereafter, I was finally able to meet Darren and his brother Alec. Beth was unable to attend, but I was delighted to reveal some of her thoughtful menu selections.
During the week of the wedding, I got to meet the gorgeous, elegant Selin. I had a great conversation with the couple and we made sure they were thoroughly represented in all aspects of the celebration. They were gracious, appreciative and very much in love. It was apparent that their long-distance relationship and now living abroad together had created such a strong foundation.
The big day finally arrived; it was a long workday, but I enjoyed working on every detail of their wedding day vision. Shawn Connell and his skilled photography team were able to get beautiful shots of the couple, family and guests. These included a beautiful family photo on The Grand Staircase, a Sinatro family tradition. Guests arrived and enjoyed champagne, hors d’oeuvres and our custom Turkish Station, an homage to Selin’s roots.
Then to the guests’ surprise we moved them all to face the iconic Grand Staircase where the ceremony began right then and there on the landing. David Beahm’s team created this stunning arching tree which was the perfect backdrop to say “I do!” Guests loved it as the couple walked down the aisle onto the stairs. Soon it was time for everyone to see the Terrace Room that was adorned with magnolia trees, white flowers and endless glimmering candlelight.
Alex from Style Events and a few musicians played the perfect music to entertain this worldly crowd. We seated everyone to a three-course dinner for toasts and special wedding dances, then the party really started. The exuberant crowd didn’t stop dancing for three hours.
Darren and Selin loved how Alex perfectly mixed music from the United States along with Turkish music and other international artists; it was the perfect mix. We passed Shake Shack burgers, fries and milk shakes at the end of the night as on ode to NYC and the crowd loved it all.
Beth, Tim, Darren, Selin, Tiffany and I had multiple group hugs at the end of the night. They really got to enjoy their special day and all of its surprises! The couple was officially the Sinatros and they couldn’t have been happier…and that’s what it’s all about.
Thinking about having your wedding at the Plaza Hotel? Great Performances is the official caterer for the Plaza. Learn more about the Plaza here, and if you are ready to plan your Plaza wedding, just fill out the form below. We will get in touch shortly.
By Rob Arango
Myka Meier, “Queen of Manners” and author of Modern Etiquette Made Easy shares her thoughts on the Royal Family shake up.
CPS Events is happy to introduce Myka as our “Plaza Personality” this month.
It seems that most people in the world carry a phone with a camera and are on social media these days. Do you think this has made paparazzi out of everyone?
I think with the easy access to cell phones with cameras, the age-old beliefs of what constitutes paparazzi have now been magnified a million times. There is a fine line between royalty coming across as likable and relatable (and taking the occasional, friendly selfie) while working in their official capacity as senior royals with fans and being followed and given unwanted attention during their personal, private time.
Do you think Prince Harry was so affected by his mother’s death that he fears the same outcome for his wife?
I believe all the actions that Prince Harry has taken have been to protect his wife and son. I think anyone who experiences childhood trauma like that would be affected in a similar way and would want to make changes in order for history to not repeat itself.
How serious of an issue for the Royal family brand is him stepping down? Especially since he is 6th in line to the throne.
It is so rare to see this happen. I believe they must have been so unhappy that they saw this as a last resort and the only option to live the life they wanted. I also believe that you only live once and have to do what makes you happy, and happiness and peace is my greatest hope for them. I think they will make huge changes in the world for great causes around the world.
Why do you think the Queen agreed to let her grandson step down?
Prince Harry and Her Majesty have always been incredibly close. I imagine like any grandparent, she only wants the best for him and respects his wishes; and I’m sure they will remain very close. The Queen is known to be a very fair woman who loves her family very much.
Is this a one-time occurrence or do you think it might happen again with other future members of the royal family?
Never say never! While I hope the monarchy stays strong, this move was completely unexpected and we could see more surprising changes like this in the future.
Beaumont Etiquette is the official etiquette partner of The Plaza Hotel, launching The Plaza Finishing Program for adults, teens and children in 2016, with courses running to date. In 2018 Beaumont Etiquette was named the official etiquette partner of Downton Abbey: The Exhibition.
By Afiya Witter
PINK GIN & TONIC
Enjoy Valentine’s Day by sipping this classic cocktail dressed up for the occasion!
INGREDIENTS
PROCEDURE
2 oz gin
1-3 lime wedges
3 dashes bitters
3-4 oz tonic water
Add gin and bitters to a glass filled with ice.
Squeeze in lime wedges to taste, adding one to the rim of the glass.
Add tonic water and stir gently to combine.
Enjoy!
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Chef Solanki Roy’s Gazpacho Recipe
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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
Chef David’s BBQ Chicken Skewers
Enjoy Chef David’s simple but delicious recipe for BBQ Chicken Skewers – sure to be a hit with family and friends at your next cook out.
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As part of our Summer Barbeque collection, Chef Joe Bachman shares his recipe for Grilled Corn & Tomato Panzanella Salad.
MAPLE CRÈME CARAMEL VALENTINE'S DESSERT
By Chef Geoff Rudaw
Nothing says “I love you” like taking a risk, dabbling in the unknown, and trying something new. Crème Caramel is a dish that can be made with easily available items, and once mastered, it can be simple to make while coming across as a skilled and difficult dish to produce. For a little color, add some pomegranate seeds (optional).
Serves 10-12 portions
INGREDIENTS
PROCEDURE
1 cup sugar
½ cup water
2 Tbsp lemon juice
3 cups cream
1¼ cups milk
1 cup maple syrup
7 egg yolks
2 whole eggs
½ tsp vanilla extract
Heat sugar, water and lemon juice in a pot until a dark amber color. Pour into 4 ounce aluminum cups or ramekins that have been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
Heat cream and milk until hot.
Combine maple syrup, egg yolks and whole eggs and whisk well.
Temper the egg mixture by adding a few ounces of the hot milk mixture to the egg mixture while whisking.
Continue to add a few more ounces of the hot milk mixture, constantly whisking, until the egg mixture warms up. Then add the warmed egg mixture to the hot milk mixture and whisk. Strain to ensure a silky texture, then cool in an ice bath.
Divide the cooled custard mixture into the cups or ramekins (about halfway up the side).
Gently put the cups into a deep baking dish (at least 2” deep) and pour cool water around the cups. Cover with aluminum foil.
Bake at 300˚F for 50-55 minutes until the custard jiggles slightly.
Cool, remove from pan and chill overnight.
Once chilled, loosen edges by gently inserting a pairing knife and carefully sliding it around aluminum cup. Invert onto plate.
Pomegranate seeds can be sprinkled on top and around plate, if desired.
More Recipes
Chef Joe Bachman’s Vegan King Oyster Mushroom “Chicken Wings”
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
Chef Solanki Roy’s Vegetable Millet Kichdi
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Chef Solanki Roy’s Gazpacho Recipe
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Chef David Thomas’ Heirloom Tomato and Watermelon Salad
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Chef David’s BBQ Chicken Skewers
Enjoy Chef David’s simple but delicious recipe for BBQ Chicken Skewers – sure to be a hit with family and friends at your next cook out.
Chef Joe Bachman’s Grilled Corn & Tomato Panzanella Salad
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VALENTINE'S DAY TIPS & RECIPES TO MAKE YOUR SWEETHEART SWOON
Roasted Butternut Squash Puree with Miso Recipe
February 6, 2023
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Georgette Farkas shares her recipe for this silky smooth butternut squash puree – a wonderful accompaniment for any meal.
Cranberry Braised Red Cabbage Recipe
February 6, 2023
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Georgette Farkas shares this tender braised red cabbage recipe; the perfect accompaniment to duck or pork or just about any kind of sausages.
Bittersweet Chocolate Pots de Crème Recipe
February 6, 2023
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Georgette Farkas shares her recipe for this very grown-up version of a rich and very dark chocolate pudding to share with your special someone.
Don’t Hire a Caterer: Valentine’s Day
February 6, 2023
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Georgette Farkas, shares some of her tried and true tricks for hosting that special dinner for your loved one.
Our Special Valentines – How We Celebrate at Home
February 4, 2022
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OUR SPECIAL VALENTINES – HOW WE CELEBRATE AT HOME Even at home and off the clock, food is love for us at Great Performances. Love
A Valentine’s Day for Two Menu from Georgette Farkas
February 4, 2022
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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
By Chef Rob Valencia
The team at Great Performances is at the forefront of what’s new and exciting in catering and events. We identify trends before most people know about them and we have even launched a few trends of our own.
In February we celebrate love and our own culinary director Chef Rob Valencia offers his tips on the hottest wedding food trends this year and how to create an unforgettable experience for the lucky couple and their guests.
TOP WEDDING FOOD TRENDS OF 2020
1. Food as a Prominent Guest Next to the lucky couple, food is the “other” center of attention at every wedding. It’s the most photographed subject on Instagram, making it a prominent (and much loved) guest at any celebration. Great Performances believes that “Life Happens Around Food”, and it’s important to make the right food selections for momentous celebrations like these!
2. Vegetable Forward Menus Although this has been trending for well over the past decade, this year, we’re seeing plant-based options move from the “Silent Vegetarian” option to become a primary choice on menus. Vegetarian doesn’t mean boring and bland anymore; our forward-thinking chefs create vegetarian dishes that are vibrant, visually appealing, and incredibly delicious!
3. Food Stations Instead of seating your guests at one table throughout the reception, themed food stations like savory items, artisanal cheese selections and desserts create a flow that encourages people to move around and experience a variety of different foods all while mingling with other guests in a fun, conversational way!
4. Zero Proof Cocktails Forget mocktails! “Zero proof” is the new buzzword for exciting non-alcoholic cocktails that taste sophisticated and capture the spirit of their alcoholic cousins, but without the side effects.
5. Family Style Service Family style dishes allow people to interact with each other in a fun and lively manner. Passing food around the table or serving your fellow guests really enhances the meal and creates contagious communal energy and a sense of sharing!
6. Tradition Weddings celebrate the union of two people lives, including their heritage and culture. Including cuisine from each person’s background brings it all together is a great way to honor their families! More and more people are sharing their family recipes with the chef or otherwise requesting traditional dishes from their childhoods.
7. Sustainability Couples are putting more thought into how their menu selections impact the environment. They care about the story behind their food, and knowing where it comes from provides a tangible connection to the earth. Locally-sourced food tastes better (it’s fresher because it has traveled less), produces less environmental impact and supports local farmers. Great Performances is proud of its proactive approach to sustainability.
Image Credits: ©Great Performances, ©Clay Williams
A decade ago I was diagnosed with celiac disease, right around the same time that my sister Lauren was diagnosed with Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) reactive to eggs and non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Over the past decade, we both spent countless holidays, birthdays, special occasions and family celebrations watching everyone else enjoy delicious desserts while we watched with envious eyes and with the feeling of being left out. Every once in a while, we would gain access to a gluten free tor vegan treat, but often would be, once again, feeling left out because these treats just never tasted “real”. More importantly and more often than not, these desserts were not properly marked with the allergen-free demarcations and there was no way for us to know if they were created in a way that would be safe for us to enjoy.
There has been a dietary “trend” of gluten-free eating and a growing popularity of avoiding major allergens by a non-allergic audience, which has been great for awareness and has improved the accessibility to allergen-free foods. With this awareness and the increase of “allergen-free” foods, there has also been an increase in exposure to illness due to cross-contamination. Food items that are labeled as “gluten free” or “vegan” are often made in shared kitchens that do not have the protocols in place to ensure safe products.
Because the “trend” eaters don’t require true allergen-free foods, food producers have cut corners, not only resulting in allergens being prevalent in products, but in trend eaters being duped into eating the very ingredients they’re trying to avoid.
fter countless phone calls and hours of research, we decided that this was something we could no longer avoid – we had to jump in and create a gluten-free, vegan bakery that would not only produce treats that would be safe to eat, but treats that would also be delicious and appeal to the trend eaters who have helped popularize our cause. We decided that we wanted to be as inclusive as possible; not only catering to those who could not (or chose not to) eat gluten or eggs, but all of the major allergens as defined by the FDA, plus sesame.
FOMO Baking Co. does not use any ingredients that contain gluten, dairy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy or sesame. We also don’t use any artificial colors or flavors – all of our ingredients are real ingredients our customers can pronounce (and likely have in their own kitchens!) Furthermore, we have received certification from all of our suppliers that their ingredients are certified gluten-free where applicable, and made or processed in a dedicated facility or on a dedicated line away free of the FDA major allergens (gluten, dairy, egg, peanuts, tree nuts and soy).
While we are working feverishly on creating more products, we have initially launched with five flavors of cookie bites, brownie bites and various options for cookie cakes. The cookie bites come in chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, oatmeal chocolate chip, sugar and snickerdoodle flavors.
Since our launch in November, we have received wonderful feedback from customers, both with and without allergies. While the non-allergic audience base is incredibly important to us and our cause, it is especially heartwarming to hear from parents whose children were able to eat desserts for the first time in their lives.
We created FOMO Baking Co. to be a safe space where people like us and so many others, suffering from allergies and other food intolerances, could safely enjoy a fun and delicious dessert – and no longer have the Fear Of Missing Out.
Visit FOMO Baking Co. online at www.fomobaking.com.
