At any given moment, a refrigerator holds more than just ingredients; it tells a story. What we keep on hand, what we reach for late at night, what we save for “just in case”, these small decisions reveal how we cook, eat, and live. In our new series, What’s In Your Fridge, we’re taking a look inside the fridges of the Great Performances universe, one shelf at a time.
We’re kicking things off with Liz Neumark, CEO and Founder of Great Performances. Known for her deep connection to ingredients and instinctive approach to cooking, Liz’s fridge is less about rigid planning and more about possibility: stocked with farmers market finds, well-loved staples, and the building blocks of countless improvised meals. Here’s what she’s keeping close right now.
What’s one fridge staple you can’t live without?
Cold water otherwise everything else is negotiable.
What ingredient do you always keep on hand “just in case”?
I always have eggs because of my wonderfully producing flock of hens. I always have a pretty wide range of cheeses. Root vegetables are a constant even if they do change from time to time. I’m pretty good at making sure I get to my local farmers market and keep a stock of carrots and potatoes and celery and herbs and other seasonal things in the veggie bin. Those items are really the jumping off point for so many improvised meals.
What’s currently in your fridge that’s inspiring your next recipe idea?
I have some unusually delicious local celery from Blue Star Farm in Hudson (have you ever tried non-industrial celery?). It’s winter and nothing is really growing. A handful of Hudson Valley farmers really do magic in their high tunnels and greenhouses, Sue Decker is one of them. I just buy whatever I can get my hands on and then figure it out from there.
What’s your go-to late-night fridge raid?
Sadly, I’ve gotten very disciplined. There’s ice cream in the freezer and some frozen Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies. The idea of eating them is wonderful, but I never end up acting on that impulse. There’s nothing that calls me like a great cheese so if I’m feeling weak, that might be a nibble. I have two cats, Kimchi and Uni, who would really like to raid the refrigerator at night—ask them!
If a coworker opened your fridge, what would they immediately judge you for?
They would probably think I’m nuts because the last few months I’ve kept a steady supply of 10 pound boxes of California citrus in the fridge. I order directly from the orchard in Ojai and have become absolutely addicted to them. I have not been able to find them locally. Then they would notice the jars of fermentation, mostly in the form of half gallon jars of pickles. I think they know me by now.
If the New York Yankees stopped by unannounced, what would you offer them from your fridge?
Scrambled eggs, of course! And here’s my big moment to add some of that great cheese and pull out some ramp pesto from the freezer. And of course we finish it off with New York apples because there’s always lots of them in the fruit bin.
Do you have a current obsession ingredient? What are you putting it on?
Dates. I’ve been adding it to all the jams I’ve made in the last few weeks. I don’t quite know how it started, but I’m enjoying it. I’m using date molasses as a sweetener in everything as well.
What’s the most “you” item in your fridge right now?
My husband has my homemade jam on whatever he eats in the morning. There’s a little tray with an assortment of his favorite flavors. And yes, there’s a little bit of me in each of those jars.
What’s your favorite quick snack straight from the fridge?
Raw veggie. Boring. I’ve never met a vegetable I don’t love maybe except kohlrabi.
What’s In Your Fridge?
We’re always curious what’s behind the (fridge) door.
From chefs and farmers to partners and friends across the Great Performances community, every fridge has a story to tell—full of staples, surprises, and the ingredients that make each kitchen unique.
Want to be featured in a future edition of What’s In Your Fridge?
Send us a photo of your fridge along with your answers to these questions—we’d love to take a look inside.
