Explore what’s happening this month across the Bronx—from outdoor concerts and art festivals to family paddles and open mics. Scroll by venue to find your favorite neighborhood spots or discover somewhere new.
Date: Saturday, October 4, 2025
Time: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Location: 11 Bruckner Blvd, Bronx (South Bronx)
Cost: Free (volunteer event)
Local volunteers gather to beautify streets in the South Bronx, fostering community pride and cleaner neighborhoods.
Date: Wednesday, October 8, 2025
Time: 2:30 PM & 7:30 PM
Location: 450 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10451
Cost: Free admission for 2:30 PM show; Evening: $20 Regular / $15 Seniors / $5 Students
A powerful Puerto Rican play exploring family, politics, and personal legacy, presented at Hostos with daytime and evening showings. Learn more.
Date: Saturday, October 25, 2025
Time: 8:00 PM
Location: Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture, Bronx
Cost: Ticketed (price not listed)
Legendary hip-hop duo Rokafella and Kwikstep bring an electrifying dance and music showcase to the Bronx stage. Learn more.
Date: October 9–12, 2025
Time: Various times (workshops, open mics, wellness events, main stage shows)
Location: Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture / South Bronx
Cost: Tickets vary by event
A multi-day festival celebrating Indigenous voices in hip-hop through music, art, wellness, and cultural programming. Learn more.
Date: Saturday, October 13, 2025
Time: 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Location: Willis Ave Playground, South Bronx
Cost: Free
A community-driven fall festival featuring music, wellness, and collective healing activities in the South Bronx.
Date: Select evenings & weekends, through October 31, 2025
Time: Evenings for Harvest Glow; Daytime for Boo at the Zoo
Location: Bronx Zoo
Cost: Standard zoo admission + event fee (varies)
A family favorite with pumpkin displays, seasonal activities, and Halloween fun for all ages at the Bronx Zoo.
Date: Saturday, October 4, 2025
Time: 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Location: Soundview Park, Bronx
Cost: Free
A guided birdwatching walk at Soundview Park, perfect for nature lovers and birding beginners alike.
Date: Wednesday, October 15, 2025
Time: 4:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Location: 1125 Grand Concourse, Bronx
Cost: Free
The Bronx Vegan Bazaar is the first vegan food expo for and by the Bronx. Experience over 20 vegan food vendors, delicious pastries, natural juices, and a vibrant community atmosphere.
Date: Saturday, October 25, 2025
Time: 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Location: Westchester Ave & Southern Blvd, Bronx, NY 10459
Cost: Free
For four decades, the Bronx Halloween Parade has been a vibrant celebration of community spirit, creativity, and diversity. Join us for the 40th anniversary edition, filled with costumes, music, and family fun.
Date: Sunday, October 5, 2025
Time: 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Location: 4900 Independence Ave, Bronx – The Great Lawn
Cost: Free, advance tickets recommended
The Great Lawn transforms into a dance party during this lively Hispanic Heritage Month celebration, with live music by Santiago y La Orquesta and dance instruction by Talia Castro-Pozo.
As the crisp September air rolls in, New York City’s cultural calendar comes alive with vibrant events, performances, and exhibitions. From groundbreaking art shows to live jazz, comedy, and garden celebrations, there’s no shortage of ways to soak in the season. We’ve highlighted some of the most exciting happenings at our partner venues this month—perfect for planning a day or evening out in the city.
September is buzzing with creativity at the Brooklyn Museum, offering engaging exhibitions and community-driven events.
Opening Celebration: Oliver Jeffers, Life at Sea – September 20, 2025
Celebrate the launch of this immersive exhibition exploring Oliver Jeffers’ whimsical artistry inspired by life on the water.
Weekend Art: Saturday Sketch Club – September 13, 2025
Unleash your inner artist in this open sketching session, guided by the museum’s dynamic educators.
Brooklyn Pop-Up Market – September 14, 2025
Support local artists, makers, and entrepreneurs at this community marketplace filled with unique finds.
The home of live jazz welcomes you with rhythm, soul, and world-class performances.
WeBop Family Jazz Party: La Reina – Celia Cruz, The Queen of Afrocuban Music
Bring the whole family for an interactive musical journey celebrating the legendary Celia Cruz.
Wynton Marsalis: Afro with Shenel Johns and Weedie Braimah & The JLCO
Experience the power of Afro-inspired jazz with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.
This month, New-York Historical blends history with entertainment, offering a mix of laughter, film, and cultural reflection.
New York Hysterical: Stand-Up Comedy – September 12 & 19, 2025
Enjoy a night of history-meets-comedy, as comedians put a playful spin on the city’s past.
Blacklisted Movie: Roman Holiday – September 26, 2025
Revisit this classic Audrey Hepburn film while exploring its ties to the Hollywood blacklist era.
Step into the vibrant world of design and visual storytelling at Poster House this September.
Under the Subway Sun: 120 Years of Subway Style
Discover the evolution of New York’s subway system through a fascinating lens of art, fashion, and posters.
Vibrant Verbal Description Tour: Favorites from the Poster House Collection
An inclusive guided tour that brings iconic posters to life through rich verbal storytelling.
Escape to nature this month at Wave Hill, where art, gardens, and serene landscapes meet.
Celebrate Arts in the Garden: Wave Hill at 60
Mark Wave Hill’s 60th anniversary with live performances, family-friendly activities, and stunning art in bloom.
Afternoon Tea at Wave Hill House
Savor a relaxing afternoon tea surrounded by breathtaking views of the Hudson River and gardens.
Whether you’re looking to explore art, enjoy live music, laugh at a comedy show, or simply bask in the beauty of a garden escape, September in New York has something unforgettable for everyone.
As we prepare to welcome Rosh HaShana, we celebrate with foods that symbolize sweetness, abundance, and new beginnings. Apples dipped in honey remind us of the hope for a sweet year ahead, and for our own “Queen Bee,” Barbara Glassman, Executive Director at The Sylvia Center, the season is especially meaningful. Barbara not only tends her hives but also weaves honey into her kitchen traditions year-round. This year, she shares with us a story and recipe that have become part of her family’s holiday table.
You’d think that as a bee keeper that the Rosh HaShana season, when tradition has us eating honey laden foods, would be my perfect match. I have copious amounts of honey at home and I use honey as a sweetener almost exclusively in my baking year round.
Rosh HaShana’s traditional honey cake, however, posed a bit of a quandary for me. You see, although a holiday tradition, honey cake is not universally beloved in my family and earned a reputation as being bland and dry.
Not to date myself, but based on this Filofax note from 1986 (pre-internet and NYTimes Cooking App), I discovered a honey cake that worked. Reminiscent of autumnal flavors, with a nod to carrot cake’s spice, fruit, and nuts, this loaf cake has become our nonconventional holiday addition. I had to make a few adjustments along the way–including using half the honey, only one loaf pan, and cutting the cooking time in half–but it works!
Delicious as a bit of sweetness post our evening meal, or toasted and smeared with butter or cream cheese the next morning, this honey cake has become a tradition we all look forward to.
Yield: 14–16 servings
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups honey
1½ cups orange juice
½ cup shelled white pistachio nuts
½ cup shelled walnuts
½ cup raisins
½ cup dried apricots, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 teaspoon unsalted margarine (or softened butter)
¼ cup slivered almonds
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Mix dry ingredients together and set aside.
Combine honey, orange juice, nuts (except almonds), and dried fruits.
Add honey mixture to flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until combined.
Grease a 4½ x 8½-inch loaf pan with margarine. Pour in the batter.
Sprinkle slivered almonds on top.
Reduce oven temperature to 325°F and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.
Cool 10 minutes before removing from pan.
I use half the honey for better balance.
I bake in one loaf pan instead of two.
I cut the baking time in half—check for doneness earlier.
From hive to holiday table, Barbara’s honey cake carries the spirit of Rosh HaShana: a sweet reminder of tradition, family, and the gifts of nature. As our Queen Bee, Barbara not only shares her honey but also her wisdom, whether through reflections on community or the joy of cooking. May this recipe inspire you to bring a little extra sweetness into your new year—l’shana tova!
At Great Performances, sustainability isn’t just a philosophy—it’s woven into everything we do, from the food we serve to the events we create. Our founder, Liz Neumark, has always championed creative ways to reduce waste. One day, while looking at the colorful flour, rice, and onion bags from our kitchens, she wondered: Why should these beautiful materials end up in the landfill?
That spark of inspiration led to Sustotes—durable, stylish tote bags crafted from materials that would otherwise be thrown away. Today, Sustotes are made not only from leftover ingredient bags but also from discontinued linens generously donated by Party Rental Ltd (PRL), one of the country’s leading event rental companies.
PRL has long been committed to sustainability in the event industry, from maintaining a massive linen inventory in constant rotation to finding ways to reuse, repurpose, or recycle materials once they’re no longer needed. When manufacturers discontinue a print or design, PRL often has yardage left in storage. Instead of letting those fabrics sit unused, PRL donates them to local organizations and projects like ours.
These discontinued linens have become an exciting addition to our Sustotes line. Just like the grain and flour sacks, they’re practical, usable, and beautiful—infusing the totes with new textures, colors, and designs while preventing perfectly good fabric from ending up in the landfill.
PRL’s approach to sustainability extends well beyond donations like these. From recycling and repairing linens behind the scenes to exploring how “pink is the new green”, they’ve built sustainability into their operations. You can also read more about their initiatives on their sustainability page and learn about the life cycle of a linen.
By partnering with PRL, we’ve expanded Sustotes into something even more impactful: a project that reflects collaboration, creativity, and a shared commitment to sustainability.
To bring Sustotes to life, we collaborate with talented artisans who share our passion for craft and sustainability. One of them is Seneca, a designer and founder of the clothing brand Good Days. Seneca learned to sew as a child from her grandmother and has been working with recycled materials throughout her career.
For Seneca, working with grain sacks and linens posed unique challenges. She experimented with sewing machine settings to handle the heavy textures and learned how to adapt techniques for sturdier seams. But through that process came creativity: playful flourishes, durable stitching, and even whimsical details like burlap ruffles.
Seneca’s favorite bags? The ones made from chicken feed sacks—quirky, charming, and full of character. Like all Sustotes, they embody the spirit of reuse and reinvention.
Projects like Sustotes remind us that sustainability isn’t only about big initiatives—it’s also about the small, creative choices that make a difference. By transforming food bags and linens into durable totes, we give new life to materials that might otherwise be wasted. The result is functional, beautiful, and a reflection of what happens when organizations and individuals come together around shared values.
For us at Great Performances, sustainability extends beyond our menus and events. It’s part of how we think, create, and engage with our community. We’re proud to showcase Sustotes during Climate Week as one example of how we’re reducing waste, building partnerships, and inspiring conversations around sustainability.
🌱 Want to see Sustotes for yourself? You can find them at Wave Hill, where they’re as functional as they are beautiful—perfect for carrying produce, books, or everyday essentials.
Together with artisans like Seneca and partners like Party Rental LTD, we’re carrying sustainability forward—one tote at a time.
At Great Performances, we believe that people make things happen — and nowhere is that more true than at SummerStage, a showcase for our expertise in NYC cultural event catering and large-format festivals. Each summer, Great Performances manages concessions for thousands of guests, showcasing not just classic park favorites but also diverse and exciting food from our some of our favorite restaurants, chefs, and partners.
SummerStage is more than concerts under the stars; it’s a celebration of New York City itself — lively, diverse, and collaborative. It’s also a chance for us to demonstrate our expertise in NYC catering, cultural event food & beverage, and large-format festivals. At the heart of it all are the people who lead our teams, and this year, Giuliana Mariani, our VIP Manager at SummerStage, stepped into a leadership role that highlights the very best of GP values.
We sat down with Giuliana to learn more about her experience, what keeps her coming back each summer, and how she brings the SummerStage energy to life. Giuliana’s leadership reflects the excellence we bring to festival catering in NYC.
What brought you back to SummerStage this year, and how does it feel stepping into the manager role?
I have been working at SummerStage every summer since it returned after Covid in 2021. I always come back to it because I enjoy the fun atmosphere it provides. You get to see all kinds of different concerts and work in such a cool venue. Getting to be outside in Central Park all summer has always been a draw for me. It has felt great to step into a manager role this summer. We have a great team that supports each other, and I have loved getting to play a bigger role in running the concessions and keeping up the special energy that comes with working at a concert venue.
Can you describe a typical day for you at SummerStage?
A typical day for me at SummerStage looks like arriving at the venue before any other GP staff to make sure we receive all our correct deliveries and sending our staff list to CPF to give to security. I then put together the staffing assignments and check the menus for the day. Once staff starts arriving, we have our pre-shift meeting and manage the night as it goes.
What’s one standout memory or moment from this season so far?
One standout memory for me so far has been the raccoons. They are cute when you keep your distance, but there is a whole family that comes around as we are wrapping up and putting out family meal at the end of the night and it has become quite the show. My grandma got me two raccoon stuffed animals to commemorate our friends Ricky and Rhonda. I made them little SummerStage shirts from my old shirts from past summers and they are now our mascots that sit in our office window. All the staff has fallen in love with them and wants one of their own.
What makes the food & beverage experience at SummerStage special for guests?
The GP team has worked very hard this year to bring special and diverse food options to SummerStage this year. What makes the experience so special for guests is that they can get classic park staples like a hot dog or they can find more unique options such as the Momofuku Bang Bar. We have also secured very special partners throughout the summer, which has really elevated the food experience for guests this summer. We have had the BelFries food truck serving French Fries at select shows all season, and we have had Charles Pan Fried and Hudson Smokehouse operating out of one of our concession containers on select shows as well. In addition, on specific cultural shows we had special partners doing authentic cuisine for the respective show. For example, for Bastille Day we had O’Cabanon serving Crepes and Croque Monsieur. It has been great to work with so many partners who are always so excited to be working at SummerStage.
How do you keep your team motivated during the busiest shows?
During the busiest shows the energy is always high. I make sure to make stops around the venue to check in with everyone and lend a hand wherever needed. But mostly I try to start the shift with good energy, starting at the pre-shift meeting with all the staff. Making sure they have all the information they need to be successful and getting them excited for the show ahead is the best way to keep up motivation.
What’s it like serving such a diverse audience in Central Park?
It is amazing seeing all the different demographics that different artists and genres attract. It is so great getting to serve all different types of people although occasionally challenging when there are language barriers. There is almost always someone on our staff that speaks the language of the guests though, as GP is also very diverse in our staff. It is very reflective of New York City as a whole.
How has this experience shaped you as a leader?
I have grown exponentially as a leader from this experience. It has been so rewarding to take on this role at SummerStage. I had already started gaining experience leading staff from captaining on events, but to take on managing the concessions at this venue was another step above that. I have gained invaluable knowledge on the administrative side of leadership as well as in building and maintaining client relationships.
If you had to describe SummerStage in three words, what would they be?
In three words I would describe SummerStage as Lively, Diverse, and Collaborative.
Giuliana’s story is just one example of how our people bring events like SummerStage to life. From ensuring smooth operations and motivating teams, to welcoming diverse audiences and curating unique culinary partnerships, her leadership reflects what makes Great Performances stand out in cultural event catering and large-scale festival concessions.
As the SummerStage season winds down, we celebrate not only the music and the memories, but also the extraordinary efforts of the people who make it all possible.
👉 Learn more about SummerStage at City Parks Foundation and discover how Great Performances can bring the same energy, expertise, and flavor to your next large-format event.
Explore what’s happening this month across the Bronx—from outdoor concerts and art festivals to family paddles and open mics. Scroll by venue to find your favorite neighborhood spots or discover somewhere new.
Fun things to do around the Bronx this month
The Bronx’s signature open-air food and culture festival! Sample bites from 40+ international vendors, enjoy live music, and connect with the local community. A family-friendly, must-visit event.
Volunteer with Bronx is Blooming to help care for one of the borough’s largest waterfront parks. Activities include planting, mulching, and eco-friendly projects.
Celebrate Italian culture with live entertainment, delicious food, and community spirit in the heart of the Bronx.
Enjoy music, food, and games for all ages at this lively neighborhood block party.
Take a stroll on your Friday lunch break and enjoy a fun street festival in front of Joyce Kilmer Park. Delicious food, unique vendors, and a lively atmosphere await.
A drop-in art-making workshop inspired by sculptor Joyce McDonald. Families can explore creativity together in a welcoming environment.
Catch the infamous Banana Ball spectacle—fast-paced, quirky, and wildly entertaining baseball with comedic routines, dance breaks, and nonstop fun. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
Join the 9th Annual celebration of BIPOC string players—genre-defying performances, DJ sets, food, drinks, and a vibrant marketplace celebrating local artists. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
Run the Bronx in this lively NYRR event along a scenic 10-mile course starting near Yankee Stadium, up Mosholu Parkway, and looping back to finish by 161st Street.
A lively, kid-friendly run held alongside the Bronx 10 Mile—perfect for families to participate or cheer on the action.
Join neighbors to revitalize Crotona Park through weeding, planting, and cleanup work.
An overnight nature adventure with the Urban Park Rangers—perfect for families. Lottery registration opens September 10. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}
Experience the timeless mambo sounds with vibrant performances from this renowned orchestra.
Walk through glowing pumpkin displays, illuminated sculptures, and fall-themed installations.
Celebrate the season with costumed characters, pumpkin carving, trick-or-treating, and lively entertainment throughout the zoo.
Honor Indigenous communities with traditional music, dance, storytelling, and cultural activities in a beautiful outdoor setting. :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}
At Great Performances, we’ve long believed in the power of food to transform lives and create opportunity. That’s why our partnership with Hot Bread Kitchen holds such a special place in our work. Over the years, we’ve collaborated in countless ways — from celebrating milestones together to championing a new approach to community workforce development, and even sharing our perspectives in public forums like the Women’s Forum of New York. Most recently, we’ve deepened this relationship by welcoming Hot Bread Kitchen’s Culinary Career Pathways program into the Bronx, expanding access to training and opportunity in our home borough.
Since 2008, Hot Bread Kitchen has provided culinary job training, food business incubation, and an ecosystem of support for New Yorkers looking to get their start in the food industry. Their programs promote economic mobility and professional growth using culinary careers as a catalyst.
For the first time, Hot Bread Kitchen has expanded to the Bronx through a partnership with longtime employer partner Great Performances, bringing their transformative programs closer to Bronx residents.
Now offered in the Bronx, Culinary Career Pathways for New New Yorkers helps newly arrived, Spanish-speaking residents authorized to work build skills for a culinary career. Participants receive hands-on training in cooking techniques, baking, food safety, and kitchen operations. In its second year, the program is already making a significant impact.
Recent graduate Wendy is a perfect example of the program’s reach. Born in the U.S. to Mexican parents and raised in Mexico, Wendy returned to the U.S. seeking better opportunities for herself and her children. After hearing about the program from her sister, also a Hot Bread Kitchen alum, she applied.
Learning new skills and being part of this community was a beautiful experience.
For Wendy, the program offered not only new skills but also a sense of belonging. Since graduating, she is ready to build a brighter future for her family.
Stories like Wendy’s reflect the heart of why we partner with Hot Bread Kitchen: together, we’re creating real opportunities for New Yorkers to thrive in the culinary world. We’re honored to support this work in the Bronx and look forward to celebrating the successes of future graduates. To hear more about the impact of this partnership, watch this conversation between Liz Neumark and Leslie Abbey.
Each month, our Food Festival series celebrates a single seasonal ingredient through a chef-driven recipe, creative tips, and serving inspiration. There are few foods that capture the essence of late summer like corn. Sweet, juicy, and versatile, corn is at its peak in September, filling farmers’ markets and kitchens with endless possibilities. From backyard barbecues to elegant plated dinners, this golden ingredient shines in comfort food classics and modern dishes alike.
In honor of September corn, we’re spotlighting one of our favorite ways to savor the season: a rich and flavorful Corn Chowder, built on a base of homemade corn stock for maximum depth and sweetness.
Want more seasonal ideas? Explore the full Food Festival series here.
Corn is one of the world’s oldest cultivated crops, with a history dating back over 9,000 years in Mesoamerica. Today, it’s grown across the globe and enjoyed in countless forms—grilled, steamed, creamed, baked, or even popped. In its fresh form, sweet corn is celebrated for its plump kernels and natural sugars that shine when cooked simply. Beyond taste, corn is a good source of dietary fiber, vitamins B and C, and antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin, which support eye health.
10 corn cobs, kernels removed
1 Spanish onion, halved
2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
1 bay leaf
6 quarts cold water
Place all ingredients into a large stockpot. Bring to a simmer and cook for 4 hours, allowing the flavors to fully infuse. Strain, discard the solids, and reserve the liquid. Cool before storing.
🌽 Milk the cobs
After cutting the kernels off, use the back of your knife to scrape the cobs and release the “corn milk.” This adds natural sweetness and body to the chowder.
🥔 Potato power
Dice the potatoes small so they break down more quickly, thickening the soup naturally without the need for cream.
🥓 Go veggie-friendly
Skip the bacon for a vegetarian version, or swap it for smoked paprika to capture that same savory depth.
🧊 Make ahead
Corn stock freezes beautifully—make a big batch now and you’ll have summer flavor ready to brighten dishes well into winter.
Ladle into big bowls with crusty bread for a hearty meal.
Garnish with fresh herbs, a drizzle of cream, or extra crispy bacon for flair.
Pair with a simple green salad for balance.
Serve as a first course for a late summer dinner party.
The corn in this month’s recipe—and many of the ingredients we spotlight—come straight from Katchkie Farm, our organic farm in Kinderhook, NY. It’s where we grow with intention: focusing on flavor, sustainability, and connection to the land.
Through our CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program, you can enjoy the very best of the season each week—from just-picked produce to specialty pantry items and surprises from our kitchen.
Want a deeper connection to your food? Learn more about our CSA and Katchkie Farm →
We’re cooking our way through the seasons—one ingredient at a time. Sign up for our newsletter to get each month’s recipe, tips, and art delivered to your inbox.
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More from the Food Festival series—seasonal recipes, chef tips, and ingredient inspiration.
As part of our Chefs’ Choir(SM), Anastassia and Mike Deuel add their voices to our celebration of food and inspiration from the kitchen. In this story, they explore cooking with edible weeds like dandelion, plantain, mullein, wild lettuce, and Asiatic dayflower. These resilient plants are often pulled out as nuisances, yet they have been valued for centuries as both food and medicine. First, the chefs describe how these plants thrive in their own garden. Next, they show how each one carries unique flavors and health benefits. More than that, they share recipes that transform weeds into meals — from a bright salad to crisp fritters, plus a calming tea. As a result, readers learn that sustainability can begin right at home, by cooking with what already grows underfoot. Finally, Anastassia and Mike remind us that edible weeds connect us to tradition, to the land, and to each other.
As chefs, we’re trained to seek out the finest ingredients—rare mushrooms, heirloom tomatoes, aged vinegars. But sometimes, the most powerful ingredients grow right under our noses, often overlooked or ripped out and tossed aside. In our little garden patch, among the kale and tomatoes, we let a few “weeds” grow wild on purpose. These aren’t just invasive plants, they’re ancient food and medicine, free and nutrient-rich, just waiting to be rediscovered.
Today, we want to introduce you to five misunderstood plants that thrive in neglected corners of gardens, sidewalks, and backyards: Spiky wild lettuce, Plantain, Mullein, Asiatic dayflower, and Dandelion. We forage these by hand, with our little one strapped to our chest or exploring with us and bring them straight to the kitchen. Here’s how we use them for their health benefits and flavor, and how you can too.
Don’t let the spines scare you—spiky wild lettuce is a powerful medicinal plant with natural pain-relieving and sedative properties. The leaves of this edible weed are bitter, similar to chicory or dandelion greens, and best eaten young. We harvest them early in the season and use them sparingly.
Benefits: Natural pain relief, calming properties, digestive aid.
This low-growing leafy plant (not the banana!) is everywhere. Its broad or narrow leaves are rich in calcium and vitamins A, C, and K. It’s anti-inflammatory and helps with gut health and skin repair. We love cooking with this edible weed – check out our recipe for Plantain and Mullein Greens Fritters!
Benefits: Wound healing, gut health, anti-inflammatory.
Those soft, fuzzy leaves make fantastic herbal tea for respiratory support. We dry mullein in bunches and store it for the cold season. You can also cook the young leaves like collards, though they’re best blanched first.
Benefits: Lung support, anti-inflammatory, soothing to mucous membranes.
These vibrant blue flowers and tender stems are edible and mildly sweet. We toss them into salads or use them to garnish cheese boards. The mucilaginous quality (slightly slimy, like okra) makes them great in cooling broths.
Benefits: Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant-rich, cooling for the body.
Every part is useful—roots, leaves, flowers. Dandelion is one of the most versatile wild plants, and we use it in everything from salads to vinegars to tea.
Benefits: Liver support, digestive aid, rich in potassium and iron.
Chefs Anastassia and Mike Deuel share how cooking with edible weeds transforms overlooked plants like dandelion, plantain, and mullein into delicious, sustainable dishes.
Crispy, savory fritters made with plantain and mullein leaves. A Chefs’ Choir(SM) recipe that transforms overlooked weeds into a sustainable, crave-worthy dish, perfect with lemon or a yogurt dip.
Steep 1 tsp dried wild lettuce and 1 tsp dried mullein leaves in hot (not boiling) water for 10 minutes. Add a spoonful of raw honey and sip before bed for calm nerves and restful sleep
Working with wild plants makes us feel more connected—not just to our land, but to ancient traditions that honored and respected every growing thing. These so-called “weeds” remind us to slow down, observe, and nourish ourselves with what’s already here. They’re flavorful, healing, and resilient. Just like a good meal shared with family.
So next time you see that patch of “unwanted growth” in your garden, take a closer look. You might just find your next favorite ingredient.
About Chefs’ Choir®
A chorus of culinary voices from Great Performances—our chefs step out of the kitchen to share recipes, stories, and inspiration. Learn more →
This plantain fritters recipe from our Chefs’ Choir(SM) shows how humble garden weeds — plantain and mullein — can turn into something crisp, golden, and crave-worthy. Anastassia and Mike Deuel use young, tender leaves to create fritters that taste fresh and light. First, they blanch and chop the greens. Next, they mix them with scallions, garlic, eggs, and chickpea flour. Then, they fry spoonfuls of the batter until each fritter is golden brown and full of flavor. As a result, the dish is hearty, simple, and satisfying. More than just a snack, this recipe for plantain fritters also celebrates sustainability because it reduces waste and makes use of plants that often get ignored. In addition, each bite shows that edible weeds can be both nourishing and delicious. Finally, when served with lemon or yogurt dip, these plantain fritters prove that good food can also be good for the planet.
by Chef Anastassia Batsoula-Deuel and Chef Mike Deuel
Serves 4-6
Don’t be fooled by this deceptively simple plantain fritter recipe — they pack in a ton of flavor and nutrients! Feel free to use an egg substitute (1 Tbsp ground flaxseed + 1 Tbsp water for each egg) to make it vegan. Try it alongside our foraged dandelion salad recipe for a fresh-from-the-garden lunch.
