By Great Performances

HOW DOES A CATERING COMPANY PLAN ITS OWN HOLIDAY PARTY? FOR STARTERS, WE WAIT TILL JANUARY! THEN, WE FIND THE BEST VENUE IN TOWN – AND WE KNOW THEM ALL BECAUSE THAT IS OUR BUSINESS

The GP Family celebrated a night of festivities at The Big Apple Circus, the perfect place to go for laughter, wonder and fun. With children and significant others in tow, the staff enjoyed circus treats and the energy charged atmosphere that comes from this innovative and dynamic Big Apple Circus organization.

After planning countless parties there for our clients, we were ready to feel like we had the night off and could relax. It was perfect!!

It was a cold night in January, but we warmed up quickly with delicious food and amazing entertainment. There were miniature ponies, dancers, jugglers, acrobats, trapeze artists, magicians and more! We laughed, we screamed, we applauded, we ate popcorn and cotton candy and we left in great spirits. Not a dull moment the entire night and definitely a nice (and deserved) retreat from the hustle and bustle of work!

 

Valentine’s Day

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Rosh Hashanah

Recipes & Tips

By Chef Saul Bolton

WELCOME TO THE NEW YEAR! 2019. RESOLUTE IN OUR PROCLAMATIONS BROUGHT ON BY HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS

We Recharge. Recalibrate. Cleanse. Ahh yes. But we need, we crave warm, nourishing and even slightly decadent food in these winter months. Food that hits the spot. Winter Squash is the answer! Originating in Central and South America. Carried throughout the world by the Spanish and Portuguese. It’s warm, soft, and sweet. Complement this with Umami flavors, bright herbs, cleansing spices, and you have a delicious, healthy, and satisfying experience. Feliz Ano Nuevo!!!

BAKED STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

PROCEDURE

  • 3 small acorn squash, cut in half and seeded

  • 1 small onion (small dice)

  • 4 cloves garlic (minced)

  • 2 cups of cooked black beans

  • 3 cups of cooked brown rice (leftovers? I always cook too much rice)

  • 1 red pepper (small dice)

  • 2 tbsp curry powder

  • black pepper and salt to taste

  • coconut oil

  • 1 cup of rough chopped cilantro

  1. Heat a sauté pan over a medium fire. Add 2 tbsp coconut oil followed by onions, garlic, & red peppers. Cook until just tender.

  2. Add the curry powder to the mixture. Continue cooking for two minutes while stirring. Add the brown rice. Stir. Add the black beans. Mix well. Take off the heat. Add the cilantro. Then season with salt and pepper. Set mixture aside.

  3. Preheat oven to 350F. Brush the acorn squash halves with oil then season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven until tender.

  4. Remove from the oven. Fill each acorn squash half with 1 cup of the mixture then sprinkle with the queso fresca.

  5. Place back in the oven at 350F for 20 minutes or until hot through.

  6. To serve squeeze a little lemon juice over each squash.

  7. Serve with a nice fresh salad of greens on the side.

ROASTED SPAGHETTI SQUASH, RED QUINOA, MISO GLAZE

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

PROCEDURE

  • 1 medium spaghetti squash (cut in half and seeded)

  • ½ cup white miso

  • 4 tbsp light brown sugar

  • 2 tbsp mirin

  • 6 tbsp minced shallots

  • 2 tbsp red chili flakes or to taste

  • 3 cloves of garlic, minced

  • 1 cup cooked red quinoa

  • 3 cups clean green kale (cut into 3-inch pieces)

  • canola oil

  • salt

  1. Brush the spaghetti squash with canola oil and season with salt. Bake at 350F until almost tender. Al dente. Let cool then carefully remove skin and cut the squash into 12 equal sized pieces. Return to baking dish. Set aside.

  2. Increase the oven to 375F. Add miso, mirin, shallots, ½ the garlic, chili flake, & salt to taste. Mix together until smooth. Spread evenly over the squash. Pop the squash into the oven and bake until nicely brown on top. Remove from the oven.

  3. Heat a sauté pan over a medium high heat, add 2 tbsp canola oil. Add garlic. Stir. Add the kale and stir until wilted. Season with salt to taste.

  4. Arrange the squash on a serving platter, top with the wilted kale. Squeeze some lemon juice on top and serve.

SOY BRAISED KABOCHA SQUASH

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

PROCEDURE

  • 1 kabocha squash (cut in half – each cut in half, cleaned then cut into 6 or 8 wedges)

  • 4 tbsp coconut oil

  • 1-inch piece of ginger, grated on microplane

  • 6 garlic cloves, sliced thin

  • 6 scallions (clean and sliced thinly, use green part for garnish, white part for cooking)

  • 1 cup of cilantro sprigs

  • 3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

  • ¾ cup of vegetable stock or water

  • ½ cup of soy sauce

  • 3 tbsp mirin

  • 3 tbsp sugar

  1. Heat sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the coconut oil then add the garlic, scallions, & ginger.

  2. Cook while stirring for two minutes then add the veggie stock, soy sauce, mirin & sugar.

  3. Now carefully add the kabocha squash.

  4. Cook turning every two minutes until squash is almost tender. Turn down fire to low then cover the pot and cook until the liquid is glazy.

  5. Add the cilantro cover for 1 minute just to wilt then carefully remove the kabocha to a warm serving dish.

  6. Garnish with the scallions and toasted sesame seeds. If you want to go crazy add some chopped peanuts. Or not.

  7. Great to serve with some brown rice, and nice greens.

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MAE MAE’S BEET LATKE

INGREDIENTS

PROCEDURE

  • 1 medium Tomato, diced

  • 1 Cucumber, diced

  • 1 small Red Onion, diced

  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh Mint

  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh Cilantro

  • 1 Lime, zested and juiced

  • 1 tsp Lemon Verbena Oil

  • ¾ cup Vegan Mayo

  • 2 cups Matzah Meal

  • ¼ cup Corn Starch

  • 1 cup shredded Beets

  • 1 cup shredded Yukon Gold Potatoes (squeeze out excess liquid)

  • 2 tbsp grated White Onion

  • 1 tbsp grated Garlic

  • Mix vegan mayo with chives and lemon verbena oil. Cover and set aside

  • Combine tomato, cucumber, red onion, mint, cilantro, lime juice, and chopped lime zest- season with salt and pepper to taste

  • Combine the grated beets, Yukon gold potatoes, onions, garlic, matzah meal, and cornstarch. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

  • Let sit for 10 minutes to let the mixture absorb

  • Heat Canola oil in a sauté pan over medium heat

  • Add walnut-sized balls of the mixture into the pan- flatten into disks with a spatula. Cook until crispy on first side then flip and crisp the other side. Drain on paper towel. Repeat with the rest of the mixture.

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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

Simple ingredients, beautifully prepared — that’s the magic of this Oven-Roasted Cabbage with Apples and Warm Rosemary-Walnut Vinaigrette. The cabbage caramelizes in the oven while the warm vinaigrette, rich with toasted walnuts, rosemary, and butter, adds depth and aroma. It’s a rustic, elegant side that pairs perfectly with fall roasts or holiday mains — a dish that embodies the Chefs’ Choir(SM) spirit of seasonal creativity and soulful cooking.

Oven-Roasted Cabbage with Apples and Warm Rosemary-Walnut Vinaigrette

by Chef Saul Bolton

Ingredients

  • 2 heads green cabbage, cut into eighths
  • 1½ cups walnuts
  • 3 cloves garlic, grated on a microplane or box grater
  • 6 rosemary sprigs, leaves removed
  • ¼ cup butter
  • ¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • Sea salt, to taste
  • Black pepper, to taste

Procedure

  1. Preheat your oven to 450F degrees.

  2. Toss the cabbage with 2 tbsp of olive oil and a large pinch of salt

  3. Divide the cabbage between two lined baking sheets and roast in the oven until the cabbage is browned and tender, 30-45 minutes.

  4. When the cabbage is cooked, remove it from the oven and let it cool while you are making the vinaigrette.

  5. Meanwhile, in a large skillet toast the walnuts over medium heat until they are fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the butter, rosemary, and garlic and cook until the butter is lightly browned. Add the olive oil and vinegar and simmer until the vinegar is slightly reduced and the dressing is emulsified.

  6. Season the vinaigrette with salt and black pepper and spoon over the roasted cabbage to serve.

INGREDIENTS

PROCEDURE

  • 2 heads of Green Cabbage, cut in 1/8ths
  • 1 1/2 cups Walnuts
  • 3 cloves of Garlic, grated on a microplane or box grater
  • Rosemary Sprigs, leaves removed
  • 1/4 cup Butter
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Sea Salt, to taste
  • Black Pepper, to taste

1. Preheat your oven to 450F degrees.

2. Toss the cabbage with 2 tbsp of olive oil and a large pinch of salt

3. Divide the cabbage between two lined baking sheets and roast in the oven until the cabbage is browned and tender, 30-45 minutes.

4. When the cabbage is cooked, remove it from the oven and let it cool while you are making the vinaigrette.

5. Meanwhile, in a large skillet toast the walnuts over medium heat until they are fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the butter, rosemary, and garlic and cook until the butter is lightly browned. Add the olive oil and vinegar and simmer until the vinegar is slightly reduced and the dressing is emulsified.

6. Season the vinaigrette with salt and black pepper and spoon over the roasted cabbage to serve.

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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 Thanksgiving Green Tomato and Walnut Chutney offers a fresh, unexpected twist on the traditional cranberry relish. Bursting with tangy-sweet flavor and layered with spice, citrus, and texture, it’s the kind of inventive accompaniment that embodies the Chefs’ Choir(SM) spirit — taking familiar holiday flavors and reimagining them with a chef’s creativity. Serve it alongside roast turkey or your favorite savory dishes for a bright, flavorful counterpoint to the feast.

This makes a great change of pace from the classic cranberry relish!

Thanksgiving Green Tomato and Walnut Chutney

by Chef Saul Bolton

Ingredients

  • 5 cups green tomatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 cup onions, finely sliced
  • 1 medium fresh jalapeño, sliced
  • 1 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup walnut pieces
  • 2 Tbsp whole coriander seeds
  • 3 whole green cardamom pods
  • 2 cups cider vinegar
  • 2 cups light brown sugar
  • 3 Tbsp grated fresh ginger (use a microplane)
  • Zest and juice of 2 lemons (zest grated on a microplane and chopped)
  • ½ cup golden raisins

Procedure

  1. Add tomatoes, onions, jalapeno, walnuts, coriander seeds, cardamom pods, raisins, vinegar, & sugar to a heavy bottomed sauce pan. Bring to a simmer over a low heat.
  2. Cook until thickened to your taste. Remove from the heat.
  3. Add the cilantro, lemon zest, & ginger. Stir. Season to taste with a pinch of salt and lemon juice. Cool. Serve cool or at room temp. Great with Roast Turkey!!

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

A little sweet, a little tart, and wonderfully unexpected — this Green Tomato & Cranberry Pie reimagines late-season produce in a holiday-ready dessert. The tang of green tomatoes pairs beautifully with the tart pop of cranberries, creating a filling that’s bright, balanced, and perfectly spiced. Serve it warm with ice cream, whipped cream, or a dollop of crème fraîche for a fresh twist on classic Thanksgiving flavors.

Green Tomato & Cranberry Pie

by Chef Saul Bolton

Ingredients

  • 1½ cups sugar
  • 5 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • 3 cups thinly sliced green tomatoes (or green cherry tomatoes, halved)
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 Tbsp unfiltered cider vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp butter

Procedure

  1. In a bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cranberries, cinnamon and salt
  2. Add tomatoes and vinegar; toss to coat
  3. Line a pie plate with bottom crust. Add filling; dot with butter. Roll out remaining pastry; Trim, seal and crimp. Cut an X in the center of the top crust to allow steam to escape while cooking
  4. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is tender. Let cool for 20 minutes before serving. Serve with your favorite ice cream or lightly sweetened whipped cream or crème fraiche

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 dish celebrates the beauty of the whole vegetable — root to leaf. Katchkie Spiced Roast Turnips and Tops brings out the earthy sweetness of roasted turnips balanced by the warmth of smoked paprika, honey, and cider vinegar. With tender greens, caramelized onions, and hearty garbanzos, it’s a vibrant, flavorful side that reflects the Chefs’ Choir(SM) spirit: creative, seasonal, and full of heart.

Katchkie Spiced Roast Turnips and Tops

by Chef Saul Bolton

Ingredients

  • 8 tennis-ball-sized turnips with tops
    (remove tops, wash, spin dry, and roughly chop; peel turnips and cut into 1-inch pieces)
  • 3 Tbsp coconut oil
  • 3 Tbsp honey
  • Sea salt, to taste
  • Fennel seed, to taste
  • 2 cups white onion, sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 2 cups canned garbanzo beans
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 Tbsp cider vinegar

Procedure

  1. Toss turnips with 1 tbsp coconut oil & honey. Season with sea salt, Bake at 350F until tender and caramelized

  2. Heat sautee pan. Add 2 tbsp coconut oil and garlic. Toast garlic until well browned. Add onions, fennel seed and cook until translucent.

  3. To finish, add roasted turnips, turnip tops, & garbanzos to onion mixture. Season with cider vinegar, smoked paprika, and salt to taste. Serve warm as a side.

By Louise Kramer

It Was A Hot And Humid Night In New York City And It Was Magic.

Close to 400 New Yorkers turned out July 23 for City Flavors, a unique tasting event on the High Line in New York’s Chelsea neighborhood where notable New York City chefs and culinary experts teamed up with successful graduates of a food entrepreneurship program offered to residents of New York City public housing.

Guests lined up to sample culinary creations reflecting the diversity of New York palates from sweet-and-spicy turkey meatballs and vegan mac & cheese to coconut cupcakes with Himalayan salt and pineapple upside-down cake, all to the beat of lively music from DJ Andre Cirilo.

“I was so happy to have my children there to capture some of the faces of the people when they bit down on my cupcakes,” says Denise Miller of Staten Island, owner of DAM That’s Good Cake LLC. “It was awesome just to be able to experience people coming in from all different genres and all different walks of life.”

The participants are graduates of the city’s Food Business Pathways program, a 10-week intensive business course that provides ongoing personalized coaching and free resources like permits and incubator space to help residents of public housing grow and launch their small-scale companies.

To prepare for the event, the food entrepreneurs were paired with mentors from some of the city’s top restaurants and food purveyors including Oceana, Maialino, Chelsea Market Baskets and D’Artagnan.

Sherri Royes, owner of Chef Sherri’s Catering, at first was concerned her mentor, James Kent, former executive chef of Nomad, would want her to make major changes in her proposed food for the evening. Instead, he encouraged her to focus on her favorite, chicken wings, and stood by her side to assist her as guests lined up.

“It was amazing telling a chef who is so well known what to do,” Royes says. “I knew my chicken wings were right and it was very exciting to see how much people liked them.  There were people looking bashful who were coming back a third or fourth time.”

Bringing a product to market has many hurdles and winning over customers is one of the biggest. “I am praying that some great things come from this,” says Davis, a former cook for people with disabilities who has lived in public housing for most of her life and is pursuing a college degree well into her 50s.

The event struck a chord in the media.

  • The New York Post featured Donna Davis, aka Chef Rootsie, who presented a vegan spread and was mentored by Chef Bill Telepan of Oceana.
  • The Wall Street Journal interviewed Sandra Mathis of Grace Kelli Cupcakes, maker of the coconut cupcakes, whose company is named after her daughter.
  • New York Metro interviewed Joann Poe of NYC’s Best Dressed Cupcakes, who was mentored by Jessica Weiss, a pastry chef with Union Square Hospitality Group.
  • The New York Times featured Chef Cornel Robinson of Cornel’s Catering Company, who presented a corn medley served in lettuce cups at City Flavors. His mentor was Chef Ham El-Waylly of ESquared Hospitality.

This first ever fundraiser for the Fund for Public Housing brought in $48,000. Net proceeds will be used as grants to help fuel the businesses of Food Business Pathways graduates. From 2015 to 2017, 205 residents of buildings owned by the New York City Housing Authority and holders of section 8 housing vouchers have graduated from the program and 132 food businesses have been created. Some 90 percent of the graduates are women and all are African-American and/or Latino.

The event ran from 5:45 p.m. to 9 p.m. and well after that participants were dancing as they broke down their tasting tables.

Here are some day-after reactions:

  • Susan Westmoreland, Culinary Director, Good Housekeeping – “There was palpable joy in the air. And the food truly represented the wide variety of food NYC loves today: from meat patties to barbecue to vegan cupcakes to banana pudding.” 
  • Ariane Daguin, D’Artagnan, mentor to Niani Taylor, Munch Hours – “The event was awesome.  Raising money for underprivileged entrepreneurs and trying to accompany and mentor them is great! While we don’t know yet how much business it will generate for them, it was a very nice opportunity for them to get their feet wet, and to test their cooking skills, people skills and marketing skills.”
  • Bill TelepanChef, Oceana, mentor to Donna Davis, aka Rootsie – “Working with Chef Rootsie was a treat. I look forward to being able to help her as her business grows, I think it’s important to be able to share ideas to help people become successful. “
  • Clark Wolf, Food and Restaurant Business Consultant, mentor to Sarah Adams, West Indian Food – “This is a best possible practice where they can do this next to other people and see how they do it and learn from each other’s presentations and products. There was a lot of really good dancing.”
  • Sandra Mathis, Grace Kelli Cupcakes, mentored by Daniel Dorado, Ililli restaurant – “It was an extraordinary event that I was humbly honored to be a part of. I got exposure to a larger audience that I normally would not have gotten a chance to connected with. It was a platform for greater exposure for my business hopefully opening doors for larger opportunities.”
  • Cornel Robinson, Cornel’s Catering Company – “All the guests enjoyed themselves. It was a great event to get the company name out there so people can see and taste one of our dishes. We met a lot of people. 350 portions were finished in two hours.”

Chef Robinson’s Summer Corn Medley in Romaine Cups and all the city flavors sampled at the event were complemented  by beer, wine, liquor, and non-alcoholic beverages, from such sponsors as Tito’s Vodka, Queen’s Courage Gin, David Bowler Wine, Doc Herson’s Spirits, TOST, GuS Grown-Up Soda, Spice Grove Roselle, and Sound Spark Tea.  

The Food Business Pathways (FBP) program is collaboration between NYCHA’s Office of Resident Economic Empowerment & Sustainability (REES), NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS), NYC Economic Development Corporation (EDC), Start Small Think Big, Hot Bread Kitchen, other kitchen incubators, REES zone partners and Citi Community Development. This free business accelerator program provides NYCHA public housing residents and NYCHA Section 8 voucher holders with a passion for food and a drive for entrepreneurship with customized training and resources to launch and grow their food businesses. Citi Community Development has spent approximately $500,000 on the program since its inception in 2015.

The Fund for Public Housing is a not-for-profit organization that invests in the well-being of NYCHA residents and their communities. It collaborates with public and private partners including the Food Business Pathways Program, to improve life for public housing residents. Its three main areas of investment are people, place and work.

“I don’t think we could have dreamed of a better evening,” says Fund for Public Housing President Rasmia Kirmani-Frye. “What I loved most is that the audience was equally made up of people who were there to support the Fund and believe in public housing and people who just love food events. This has taken the Fund and the food businesses to a whole new level of public consciousness.”

 All involved see City Flavors as a “first annual” event. The event was spearheaded by Liz Neumark, founder and CEO of the catering company Great Performances, who helped establish the Fund for Public Housing’s Food Working Group. She also sits on the organization’s board.

Chef Robinson is looking ahead.  “I believe the team should plan for next year. Whenever you need us we are ready,” he says.

By Chef Corey Samuel

Oh Summer, Being From South Carolina Summer Gives You A Reason To Cook Outdoors.

This season we offer Grilled Watermelon Salad, Marinated Grilled Flank Steak, Marinated Salmon, Heirloom Tomato Salad, Chef’s Daily Pie or Cake and more summer favorites. This menu continues to show New York a variety of southern inspired dishes to pair with the best live Jazz in the City. 

STARTERS

Soup – Chef’s Daily Option
Dizzy’s Summer Salad – Grilled Watermelon, Feta, Watercress & Lime Vinaigrette
Summer Greens – Little Gem Lettuce, Strawberry, Cantaloupe, Cucumber, Pickled Radishes & Green Goddess Dressing  
Avocado & Heirloom Tomato – Arugula, Stracciatella & Balsamic Reduction
Fried Pickles with Comeback Sauce
Rock Shrimp with Remoulade
Southern Crab Cake – Mango Avocado Salsa, Red Pepper Aioli & Basil Oil
Deep South Turkey Stew – Pinto Beans, Corn, Tomato, Scallions, Crème Fraiche & Cajun Rice

MAINS

Salmon – Lemon Garlic Zucchini Pasta, Grape Tomatoes, Pea Puree & Saffron Sauce
Dizzy Fried Chicken – Southern Fried Chicken, Mac n Chz, Buttermilk Biscuit
Eggplant with Quinoa – Grilled Eggplant, Quinoa, Summer Squash, Zucchini, Mushroom Ragu & Sundried Tomato
Dizzy’s House Burger – House Blend, Lettuce, Tomato, Cheddar, Tomato Jam
Flank Steak – Mushroom, Cipollini, Glazed Plums, Red Pepper, Black Garlic Puree
Market Fish – Polenta Cake, Braised Cabbage, Bacon Gremolata, Bouillabaisse Sauce, Chive Oil
Carolina Beef Ribs with Peach Salsa & Chive Pomme Puree

SIDES

Mac N Chz with Bread Crumbs
Fries
Sweet Potato Fries
Broccoli
Warm Potato Salad
Quinoa
Grilled Summer Squash
Corn Bread

DESSERT

Chocolate Lava Cake with Caramel
Peaches N Cream – Salted Graham Cracker Crumbs, Peaches, Raspberries, Blueberries and Gooseberries
Key Lime Cheesecake (No Bake)
Chef’s Summer Seasonal Pie
Sorbet Trilogy – Chef’s Daily Option

Photo Credit: ©Chip Klose