
A One-Pot Valentine’s Dinner Menu for Two
Valentine’s Day is coming up, and even in New York—where you can find romance on every corner and reservations are practically a sport—sometimes the best
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.

Valentine’s Day is coming up, and even in New York—where you can find romance on every corner and reservations are practically a sport—sometimes the best

Jump to Recipe Each month, our Food Festival series highlights a single dish through a chef- and community-driven recipe, practical cooking tips, and serving inspiration.

Ilgaz Sen is an Event Producer at Great Performances. For our Food Festival Series, she shares Mercimek Çorbası, a Lentil Soup from Turkey. Dish: Mercimek

A kitchen conversation with Chef Tatiana Tatiana Iglesias is a Venue Manager & Chef and a frequent contributor to Great Performances’ Chefs’ Choir(SM) series. She

Jump to Recipe Each month, our Food Festival series celebrates a single ingredient or dish through a chef-driven recipe, practical tips, and serving inspiration rooted

Jump to Recipe About Chefs’ Choir® A chorus of culinary voices from Great Performances—our chefs step out of the kitchen to share recipes, stories, and

Jump to Recipe About Chefs’ Choir® A chorus of culinary voices from Great Performances—our chefs step out of the kitchen to share recipes, stories, and

Jump to Recipe About Chefs’ Choir® A chorus of culinary voices from Great Performances—our chefs step out of the kitchen to share recipes, stories, and
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.
by Chef Saul Bolton
Preheat your oven to 450F degrees.
Toss the cabbage with 2 tbsp of olive oil and a large pinch of salt
Divide the cabbage between two lined baking sheets and roast in the oven until the cabbage is browned and tender, 30-45 minutes.
When the cabbage is cooked, remove it from the oven and let it cool while you are making the vinaigrette.
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.
Season the vinaigrette with salt and black pepper and spoon over the roasted cabbage to serve.
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.

Valentine’s Day is coming up, and even in New York—where you can find romance on every corner and reservations are practically a sport—sometimes the best

Jump to Recipe Each month, our Food Festival series highlights a single dish through a chef- and community-driven recipe, practical cooking tips, and serving inspiration.

Ilgaz Sen is an Event Producer at Great Performances. For our Food Festival Series, she shares Mercimek Çorbası, a Lentil Soup from Turkey. Dish: Mercimek

A kitchen conversation with Chef Tatiana Tatiana Iglesias is a Venue Manager & Chef and a frequent contributor to Great Performances’ Chefs’ Choir(SM) series. She

Jump to Recipe Each month, our Food Festival series celebrates a single ingredient or dish through a chef-driven recipe, practical tips, and serving inspiration rooted

Jump to Recipe About Chefs’ Choir® A chorus of culinary voices from Great Performances—our chefs step out of the kitchen to share recipes, stories, and

Jump to Recipe About Chefs’ Choir® A chorus of culinary voices from Great Performances—our chefs step out of the kitchen to share recipes, stories, and

Jump to Recipe About Chefs’ Choir® A chorus of culinary voices from Great Performances—our chefs step out of the kitchen to share recipes, stories, and
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!
by Chef Saul Bolton
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.
by Chef Saul Bolton
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.
by Chef Saul Bolton
Toss turnips with 1 tbsp coconut oil & honey. Season with sea salt, Bake at 350F until tender and caramelized
Heat sautee pan. Add 2 tbsp coconut oil and garlic. Toast garlic until well browned. Add onions, fennel seed and cook until translucent.
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
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.
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:
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
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.
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
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
Mac N Chz with Bread Crumbs
Fries
Sweet Potato Fries
Broccoli
Warm Potato Salad
Quinoa
Grilled Summer Squash
Corn Bread
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
By Raquel Jacquez
Year over year, these ardent supporters gather to celebrate the bounty of the season, and even more importantly, we gather as a reminder that there is still so much work to be done in our Columbia County community. Dollars raised from this annual dinner support the kids, teens, and families, who are learning to cook and grow food together in our community-based programs at The Sylvia Center.
This year’s dinner was a truly remarkable feat that inspired all of us to take a moment to absorb our surroundings, and appreciate the beautiful and natural world around us. It was also a reminder that we are a part of a larger community, and that helping each other is essential to our well-being.
A vibrant menu that included local ingredients, some picked freshly in the dew of the morning at Katchkie was served outdoors. Cinder Roast Eggplant, Vegetable Socca Tart, Sylvia Center Summer Slaw, Charred Corn Succotash, and Shio Koji Marinated, Wood-Grilled Chicken Breast were just a few of the remarkable dishes we shared together. While we enjoyed this delicious dinner, guests heard from teachers in Germantown School District, about the effects that cooking classes have had on young kids in the second grade. Supporters of The Sylvia Center also toured our learning garden, where children who visit Katchkie Farm get to experience the magic of growing, planting, harvesting and cooking in year-round programs.
The night was unforgettable, and not just because of the thunderstorm that loomed over us! As the clouds turned dark, we all stood together, unwavering in the fields of Katchkie Farm — determined to finish what we started.
It was a beautiful evening for students, families, new supporters, long-standing community members, and our great team of volunteers. It couldn’t have been done without the generous support of Great Performances, Katchkie Farm, our donors, volunteers, and everyone who supported us in making the dinner the best yet. We extend our utmost gratitude to all those who helped create another amazing night.
Photo Credit: ©Christina Lane Photography

Ingredients
1 cup granulated sugar
4 cups water
2 cups pomegranate juice
4 sprigs thyme leaves, no stems
¾ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Ice
Directions
Place all ingredients into a pot over medium heat
Bring to a boil
Turn heat to low
Let boil for 10 minutes; Let cool
Blend and strain mixture into a clean container
Add Ice for serving
(Yields 4-6 Servings)

Ingredients
1 cup granulated sugar
4 cups water
2 peaches, chopped
¾ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Ice
Directions
Place all ingredients into a pot over medium heat
Bring to a boil
Turn heat to low
Let boil for 10 minutes; Let cool
Blend and strain mixture into a clean container
Add Ice for serving
(Yields 4-6 Servings)

Ingredients
1 cup granulated sugar
4 cups water
2 plums, chopped
¾ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Ice
Directions
Place all ingredients into a pot over medium heat
Bring to a boil
Turn heat to low
Let boil for 10 minutes; Let cool
Blend and strain mixture into a clean container
Add Ice for serving
(Yields 4-6 Servings)

Ingredients
1 cup granulated sugar
4 cups water
8 strawberries, sliced
1 bunch basil
¾ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Ice
Directions
Cut strawberries into slices
Place all ingredients into a pot over medium heat
Bring to a boil
Turn heat to low
Let boil for 10 minutes; Let cool
Blend and strain mixture into a clean container
Add Ice for serving
(Yields 4-6 Servings)
By Sarah Prawl
FROM INTIMATE TO LARGE SCALE, NEW YORK CITY IS HOME TO A MULTITUDE OF MUSIC VENUES THAT SHOWCASE EXCEPTIONAL LOCAL AND WIDESPREAD TALENT.
Great Performances is proud to partner with several musical institutions and venues which not only offer a wide range of musical entertainment all summer long but also serve as the perfect location for your next event!
Located in the heart of Harlem, off of 125th Street, the legendary Apollo Theater has housed some of the most talented musicians from around the world since 1934. From Aretha Franklin, to James Brown, to The Jackson 5, the Apollo is the true definition of a musical institution and paved the way for emerging and established African-American and Latino performers.
This summer, discover new artists every Wednesday during “Amateur Night”. For more information take a look at their calendar.
Located in the heart of Columbus Circle, Frederick P. Rose Hall is the home of Jazz at Lincoln Center and the world’s first performing arts facility designed specifically for jazz. It contains three venues which offer an array of musical entertainment throughout the week as well as fantastic views of Central Park.
Enjoy sultry melodies all summer long at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola while indulging in a delicious meal from their new Summer Menu. To see Jazz at Lincoln Center’s calendar of events, click here.
Located in the Upper New York Bay, Governors Island is a mini oasis from the busy Manhattan scene. Governors Island hosts an array of large scale events throughout the year, until the end of their program season, which falls on October 31st this year. The 13th Annual Jazz Age Lawn Party and Rite of Summer are two of their biggest musical programs this summer and tickets are still available! To learn more about their upcoming events, click here.
Photo Credits: ©POLARIS, ©Amanda Gentile