Unleashing Joy at our 40+4 Anniversary Celebration!

Last month, we unleashed joy in the most epic way at our 40+4 Anniversary Celebration at our Bronx HQ. We invited our partners, collaborators, clients, vendors, and more to join us as we celebrated 40 (plus 4) years of being of service, delivering deliciousness, and helping others celebrate their milestones.

From the moment our guests arrived at our building – by car or by foot – they knew they’d arrived at the right place when they saw the large graffiti mural by Scratch decorating the front of the building and were greeted with the The Marching Cobras Drumline and Danceline who dazzled with energizing drums and electrifying dance.

Guests quickly checked their coats and stepped into Mae Mae Café and Plant Shop where they enjoyed live jazz music from Jazz at Lincoln Center and got their first bite and sip of the day – a Berry Beet Shot and some Carrot Tartare – before they embarked on a tour of our space.

We had so much to share with our guests! They started with the first floor commissary that starts on the south with the loading dock for incoming ingredients, goes through various walk in refrigerators, cold kitchens and hot kitchens, blast chillers, and pack out refrigerators to the out going loading dock. Inside the production kitchen which was still bustling with activity, they enjoyed some bites highlighting our production lines. The Sauce line presented Butternut Squash Soup with Truffled Croutons; the Starch Line presented Twice Baked Potato Gruyere Bites; and the Vegetable Line presented Eggplant Meatballs.

A fan favorite at our venues and at our 40^th was a guest appearance from our friend and partner, Charles’ Pan Fried Chicken who served bite-sized portions of his Chicken Slider, Catfish Slider, and Cornbread.

Guests then headed up to the third floor, home to our administrative offices and pastry kitchen, where they had a photo moment in front of our mural painted by Crash, peeked in at the Sylvia Center and the Design/Marketing Offices before continuing through the main office to the Pastry Kitchen where they grabbed one of our incredibly delicious chocolate chip cookies.

A quick hop down to the second floor, they had the chance to see our Design Warehouse, a cave of wonders packed with all the essentials to turn an event into a party! Walking past our Subway Mural created by Scratch (complete with subway audio!), they stepped into our 2nd Floor Event Space! We transformed the open space into a swanky lounge with bars, food stations, a demo area, and a seated lounge.

Warm, friendly staff members greeted guests and offered a selection of our most popular hors d’oeuvres including House Made Kosher Pigs in a Blanket; Smoked Salmon Napoleon; Tuna in a Birds Nest; Mushroom Mole Tostada; Habanero Smoked Tofu Taco; Red Pepper Puffed Tortilla; Fluke Ceviche; Goat Cheese Bonbon; Beet Terrine; and Boneless Lamb Chop.

Guests wandered around the space, learning about our Exclusive Venue Partners and Nonprofit Partners (and how to support them); learning more about our history through our wall of Iconic Moments; adding their tags to a graffiti wall by Scratch; becoming experts in napkin folding with Kevin Horne, a long-time member of our event team; slinging cocktails with our mixologist Daniel Dougherty; and learning how to use vegetables in place of meat with Chef Andrew Smith.

We made sure everyone stayed hydrated throughout the event with our bar station and beverages from our partners at Dio. And of course we made sure that everyone left full of delicious treats from stations representing the breadth of our menus and partners.

At Katchkie Deli, named after our organic farm in upstate New York and featuring a vegan take on the classic NY Reuben with a Pastrami Cured Butternut Squash on Herbed Focaccia.

We shared our Momofuku Station, a collaboration with Momofuku to prepare and share their recipes at events, sharing Charred Eggplant Dip; Tingly Lamb; Chilled Spicy Noodles; Ginger Scallion Noodles; Spicy Pork Rice Cakes; Wagyu Ragu Rice Cakes; Shiitake Bao; Brisket Bao; Bing Bread.

Our friends at Russ & Daughters hosted a station featuring Bagel Chips; Latkes; Wild Alaskan Salmon Roe; Trout Roe; Smoked Salmon.

We worked with JJ Johnson to bring FIELDTRIP to the party with their fan favorite Short Rib & Carolina Rice Bowl and Quinoa Falafel & Wild Rice Bowl.

We rounded out the menu with our Pan African Station serving a variety of dishes that represent different regions across Africa: Chapati (East African Flatbread); Zaalouk (Moroccan Vegetable Dip); Burkina Faso Chicken Brochette; Senegalese Jollof Rice; Khudraat Mashwiyya (Moroccan Spiced Roasted Vegetables); Kelewele (Ghanian Sweet Plantain); and Tanzanian Tofu Curry.

We were thrilled to receive a number of citations and proclamations including a Citation of Merit from Vanessa L. Gibson, President of the Borough of The Bronx; and a proclamation from Mayor Eric Adams declaring March 11, 2024 Great Performances Day in New York City!

It was an incredibly joyous event, and we lived up to our Mission of Unleashing Joy through Genuine Hospitality. We love throwing parties with our clients; and we love even more having them over at our own home and throwing a party for them!