Feasting at Home: A Culinary Journey with Our Chefs
By Great Performances
One of the hallmarks of great chefs is that they don’t leave their talent, skills, and passion in the office; but rather, it’s something that is an integral part of who they are and is carried into their daily lives and the meals they create for friends and family. We saw this over the winter holidays as they shared the meals they created for their families for Christmas.
Chris Harkness, COO at Great Performances, shares the meal he created for his family, multi-course affairs that allowed him to enjoy his family as they all enjoyed the food together.
Daniel Sokolov, R&D Chef at Great Performances, created a “clean your pantry” meal for he and his wife, taking pleasure in the precision of culinary techniques and crafting a variety of small plates they enjoyed together.
The holiday season holds a special place in my heart, particularly when it comes to cooking. Bringing my family together and sharing quality time is of utmost importance to me. My approach to holiday meals involves fish on Christmas Eve and meat on Christmas Day. I prefer a straightforward plan, focusing more on sourcing high-quality ingredients than on deciding what to make.
My children—Grace (27), Chris (24), and Nick (22)—have grown up savoring my meals and experiencing various meal structures. In the past, we used to go all out with a single elaborate meal, but this left me with little time to truly connect with my loved ones. Last year, I tried a different approach by inviting Olta and her mom over for Christmas Eve. To avoid overwhelming them, I opted for a coursed-out experience with small plates throughout the evening. I fell in love with this concept and decided to repeat it this year.
My trip to the market involved selecting the freshest ingredients across all categories. Once home, I meticulously logged every item, connecting them based on what made sense to me. This process led to the creation of a menu with each course prepared on the spot. The result was an evening filled with delightful conversations, excellent wine, and five courses of festive, quick, and easy-to-prepare dishes.
While I thoroughly enjoy the art of cooking, there’s something truly special about witnessing the pleasure people derive from eating my creations. The shift from an overwhelming feast to a more relaxed, thoughtful dining experience has allowed us to focus on what truly matters—meaningful connections and shared enjoyment of good food. I look forward to continuing this tradition in future holiday celebrations, creating lasting memories for my family and guests.
My approach for Christmas dinner was to explore what we had in the fridge and pantry and clean it out rather than going shopping for new ingredients. I really enjoy culinary precision and employing a variety of culinary techniques to transform and combine ingredients into something beautiful and delicious to my highest standards.
I drew from French culinary technique and Korean and Asian-inspired meals to create a an array of dishes that we enjoy along with some cocktails that my wife created.
Individual Plates:
- Sweet Potato Pave herbed crème fraiche, black caviar, tonburi (dried seeds of the summer cypress)
- Potato and Leek Bisque smoked trout roe, hemp seeds, and la tia to (Vietnamese Perilla)
Shared Plates:
- 48-hour Sous-Vide Short Rib black garlic and dark chocolate glaze, dashi blanched napa cabbage, kimchi, radish kimchi, pickled daikon
- Homemade Mandu (Korean Dumplings) shrimp paste, spicy dashi vinegar
- Spicy and Sweet Eggplant and Scallion passion fruit wine
WOLLMAN RINK CELEBRATES ITS THIRD SEASON WITH GREAT PERFORMANCES
By Stacy Shuster, Wollman Rink
At Great Performances, we’ve been thrilled to partner with Wollman Rink since it’s reopening three years ago. We’ve captured the spirit of New York City with our menus featured at the Cafe and through our partnership with Melba’s Cafe which operates a kiosk on the overlook.
With tempting treats from hot chocolate and a Chili Bar, we’re delighted to offer delicious and warming dishes that can accommodate a variety of dietary preferences.
Learn more about our partnership with Wollman Park Partners (WPP), a join venture between HSBE, Related Companies, and Equinox below.
Featured in iconic films such as Serendipity and Home Alone 2, Central Park’s Wollman Rink has become an everlasting symbol of New York City. The ice skating rink kicked off another ice season in October and welcomed tourists from across the globe to experience a picturesque holiday season in NYC.
As the venue’s food and beverage partner, Great Performances introduced skaters to a variety of new options this season to enjoy at Wollman Rink’s rinkside cafe. The latest cozy treats included a Build Your Own Chili Bar featuring vegan options and a Pasta Station with bolognese, alfredo, and a rotating chef’s special. Also new this season is the Sundae Station with a variety of ice cream flavors and toppings to create some frozen magic alongside a signature Hot Chocolate Bar for a cozy treat.
In addition to introducing new options, Great Performances brought back some fan favorites including the Wollman Smash Burger (secret sauce, cheddar cheese, pickles, potato bun), which is also available as a Vegan Smash Burger, and the classic New York Style Hot Dog with the classic toppings available all beef or vegan. To enhance some of these favorite dishes, Great Performances sourced ingredients straight from their organic farm, Katchkie Farm, to bring Thunder Pickles and Katchkie Hot Sauce to Central Park.
For upscale corporate and private events, Great Performances has introduced enhanced catering packages to be enjoyed for both full venue buyouts or intimate private events in the rinkside tents. The new catering packages include a carving station with options like a delectable filet mignon, brie fondue, artisanal cheese boards, and a raw bar with fresh seafood and sauces.
Wollman Rink is celebrating its third season of operation by Wollman Park Partners (WPP) – a joint venture between HBSE, Related Companies and Equinox. With the evolving and creative menus from Great Performances, Wollman Rink continues to serve both New Yorkers and tourists alike as a dynamic culinary destination.
UNLEASHING JOY THROUGH GENUINE HOSPITALITY: STORIES FROM THE HEART OF GREAT PERFORMANCES
By Great Performances
Last year, we updated our mission to truly reflect who we are and who we want to be as Great Performances. We are, at our very core, committed to service and creating memorable events and moments of joy for our clients and their guests. It’s how we’ve made our mark as a company, and it’s only fitting that we capture that in our mission, Unleash Joy through Genuine Hospitality.
Our Event Directors, who are the architects of joy through the events they manage, share how they’ve created moments that support our mission. Amanda DiUglio recounts a team-building event where the simple act of pizza making created community and spread joy. Jodi Smith shares a global journey through food at an unforgettable holiday party inspired by the Olympic spirit.
Read on to see how we’ve delighted our clients and their guests and created moments of joy and wonder by bringing people together around a table.
Linda Abbey, Executive Vice President
Event: “Night at the Theatre – Back to the Future”
Client: Champion Charities
Location:787 Seventh Avenue
Of the 100 events catered by my team this year, the most joyful was the “Night at the Theatre” sponsored by Champion Charities. Founded by former NFL greats, Harris Barton & Ronnie Lott, this organization raises funds to help children & families in need via their signature theatre-night events.
This year’s “Night at the Theatre” was a cocktail station party for young people & their families hosted at 787 Seventh Avenue & themed after the current Broadway musical version of “Back to the Future.”
Guests included folks from Harlem Children’s Zone, New City Kids, Bronx Lacrosse, the Innocence Project, Teach for America New York, Education Through Music & Student Sponsor Partners.
Parked outside the venue was an authentic DeLorean setting the stage for the evening ahead.
The film/musical provided built-in inspiration for crafting the menu, with hors d’oeuvres served from skateboard trays & themed food stations:
- Under the Emerald Sea – Be There or Be Square
- Lobster Rolls; Fish Tacos; Cole Slaw
- Lou’s Diner – Time Travel’s Fast 1955 TV Dinner
- Fried Chicken & Waffles; Mac ‘n Cheese; Iceberg Lettuce Salad
- DeLorean Haystack Crash
- Vegetarian Pizzettas & Pastas
The party culminated with guests enjoying a dramatic display of ‘vintage’ penny candy after which all 1,000 guests proceeded across the street to the Winter Garden Theatre to enjoy the actual “Back to the Future” musical. For many, this was their first experience seeing a Broadway show.
To cater such an impressive event for guests who normally would have no access was a privilege for this party planner. The unbridled energy & excitement of the attendees was infectious.
A momentous evening for both the guests & Great Performances as well.
Image credit: Shelby Griswold
Amanda DiUglio, Senior Event Director
Event: Team building
Client: One of America’s top private companies
Location: Watermill Center, Watermill, NY
On a picture-perfect summer day in Southampton, colleagues from one of our corporate clients convened for a day of team building. Set against the backdrop of the ocean, the 30-strong group was paired off to engage in a round-robin of activities, designed to unveil each other’s skills and strategize their way to the top of the scoreboard. Amidst the array of activities, the most cherished one turned out to be the art of pizza making. The premise was simple: each team would craft their ideal pizza using a variety of toppings ranging from crumbled sausage and caramelized onions to a variety of cheeses, farm-fresh vegetables, and even fruits. As the sun dipped below the horizon, the pizzas were proudly showcased and sampled by all teams and ranked. Then, as teams attempted to discern which pizza belonged to which team, and in true corporate fashion, a spirited rating of the top three ensued, sparking joy, camaraderie, and shared creativity.
Jodi Smith, Senior Event Director
Event: Holiday Party
Client: Rockefeller University
Location: Rockefeller University
At Rockefeller University on a frosty winter night, we unleashed joy through an unforgettable holiday celebration for our esteemed client and 1400 of their guests. The global cuisine was inspired by the Olympic Spirit, a theme that let us transcend borders to meet the requirements of an international body of staff.
From the ice bar featuring a vodka luge to the bronze, silver, gold medal cookies, this party was not just an event; it was an experience. Guests indulged in a culinary odyssey with a barbecue station sizzling with flavor and representing Atlanta, Georgia; a Brazilian churrascaria igniting their senses and representing Rio de Janeiro; the aroma of the warm spices in the Pan-African area, bringing to the taste buds the 15 nations of Africa represented in the Olympics; a European spread featuring hearty apres ski treats a la Lillehammer, and an Asian market tantalizing taste buds much like would have been enjoyed in Beijing.
Unleashing joy is not just our mission; it’s our commitment. We created an experience that felt transportive, taking guests around the world through food, fostering genuine connections and spreading the spirit of celebration. Welcome to a holiday party like no other, where the world converges, and joy knows no bounds.
Morgan Golumbuk, Senior Event Director
Event: All-Hands
Client: Moët Hennessy
Location: Center415
It is rare to execute an event that truly unleashes joy for every single person involved, but I can say with certainty that our March event for Moët Hennessy was foremost among them this year. Held at Center415 on our recommendation, the Moët Hennessy team planned an all-day all-hands event to brief their team on their upcoming commercial transformation. For our team, that meant producing a buffet breakfast, seated lunch, all day snacks, butlered hors d’oeuvres, buffet dinner, and a variety of luxury brand cocktails for (240) guests. Over the course of a quick six weeks, we combed through detail after detail, hammering out logistics and tailoring menus to pair with the client’s expansive beverage portfolio.
For the guests and staff, the joy was expressed as unbridled event day excitement; for the client herself, it was pure relief on the day prior. She and I floated adjacent to each other in the half-constructed venue space, our working setup day orbits separate but linked. I mentioned in passing that we had ordered cocktail picks for one of their tasting activations, as I hadn’t seen them on their list of catering asks but extrapolated the need from a photo of the finished drink. Her eyes widened and a huge smile broke over her face; in that moment, I knew we had established a trust that would echo throughout whatever frenzy the next day would hold. The next morning – prior to the event’s 8:00am start – I spoke to the staff, teary-eyed in my earnest declaration that these were the type of events that I had always wanted to execute: luxurious, complicated, and fruitful. While I can’t be certain that my impassioned speech impacted them, I can say with confidence that their smiles were as genuine as both mine and the client’s.
From the breakfast to the bottle parade, guests were treated to surprise after joyous, cognac-steeped surprise. Each moment we helped bring to life was another notch in our belt, and I left the venue feeling deeply joyous and fulfilled. Above all, this event made clear that unleashing true joy is never one-dimensional; it returns infinitely in every direction.
Ali Rea-Baum, Senior Event Director
Event: Wedding
Wedding Planner: Lyndsey Hamilton
Location: The Reform Club, Amagansett, NY
At this wedding, though a wedding attendant has been featured as a service we provided throughout the planning process, it wasn’t until the day of the wedding that the couple realized the sheer joy it would bring to have an attendant at their side through their night. Catherine, their wedding attendant, made sure that during the moments that the couple shared away from their guests, whether it be taking photos or having a personal moment alone, included opportunities to enjoy everything that their guests were appreciating during the day. Weddings can be a marathon of happiness and memories, but the small moments can be overlooked, and the wedding attendant makes sure that you take a moment to truly enjoy your day: that you always have a glass of water nearby, and then a drink should you want that; that you have food and snacks throughout the evening to keep you energized; and that you even can be pulled away at key times when your time is being monopolized.
Ronnie Davis, Managing Director
When first presented with these ubiquitous words as a Great Performances value, I was not certain that it captured what it is we truly do. But then I started remembering the moments at my 2023 events that I remembered most. Whether personally serving an Artisanal Pizza to the delight of the guest of honor at a high-end birthday celebration in Connecticut (pizza is his favorite food), or watching attendees rave about a Vegan Lunch we served at the Time 100 Summit, or seeing the audience’s ecstatic applause of a Broadway Star singing to attendees at an Ellis Island Anniversary Gala, or childlike enthusiasm from a Paella Pan filled with Grilled Lobster Tails at the Alzheimer’s Association Summer Hamptons event…. those reactions all exemplify Unleash Joy” This is really the driving force behind why we do what we do.
None have ever said it better than the great American Poet Maya Angelou:
I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
EXCITING EVENTS AROUND NEW YORK: JANUARY 2024
By Great Performances
Explore Great Music, Art and More at Our Partner Venues This Month!
UPTOWN HALL: THE INCONVENIENT KING
Sunday, January 14th at 2:00pm
Location: Apollo’s Historic Theater
Tickets: Free with RSVP
The Apollo has a decades-long tradition of serving as a convener for our community as well as people from across New York City. That tradition continues as The Apollo partners with WNYC in our 18th annual celebration of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his enduring legacy on the culture.
This year’s presentation focuses on a renewed commitment to understanding the context, confronting the complexity, and elevating our collective consciousness in the face of injustice and discrimination.
NPR’s Notes from America host, Kai Wright moderates the first hour of this year’s celebration. Music, spoken word and other forms of creative expression round out the afternoon. Please check back for additional information about this program.
“Not to know is bad; not to want to know is worse.” – African proverb
In collaboration with March On Washington Film Festival.
Uptown Hall: The Inconvenient King is part of The Apollo’s Winter/Spring 2024 season.
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING:
APOLLO STORIES
Monday, January 29th from 8:30am to 3:00pm
Location: Apollo’s Soundstage
Tickets: Before December 31, 2023: $25; After January 1, 2024: $35
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING FOR EDUCATORS
Join Apollo Education for a full day Professional Learning Workshop to explore our groundbreaking national digital learning hub, Apollo Stories. These educator-created materials will spark critical thinking in the minds of your students and ignite thought-provoking discussions on justice, culture, and identity.
The Apollo Stories team will provide expert guidance for seamlessly integrating and adapting the free lessons featured on the platform into your classroom curricula. Gain hands-on facilitation experience and dive into engaging, practical, classroom-ready activities that include discussion & writing prompts, assessments and various arts integrations.
By attending this workshop, you will have full access to the Apollo Stories digital learning hub and more from our profound inaugural project, Between the World and Me, by award-winning author, Ta-Nehisi Coates, as well as an exciting first look at our upcoming project, The Renaissance Mixtape created by dynamic artists and educators, Soul Science Lab.
FROM MEIJI TO NOW: THE MAKING OF MODERN JAPAN
Wednesday, January 17th from 6:30pm to 8:00pm
Tickets: $20 Nonmembers; $10 Members
The significance of the Meiji Restoration, an important political period in Japanese history credited for ushering in an era of major political and social change continues to be debated extensively, more than a century and half on. As the third-largest economy in the world, Japan today is assuming an increasingly assertive role on the global stage and continues to undergo rapid changes, as it did during the Meiji era. This program will focus on the transformations in politics, society, and culture Japan experienced during the Meiji era and their relevance to the contemporary era; examine the parallels and continuity between the two periods of transformation; and explore their implications for the region as well as the wider world.
This program is associated with Asia Society’s current Meiji Modern: Fifty Years of New Japan exhibition, which reevaluates a seminal era of turmoil, creativity, and transformation in Japan spanning the mid-nineteenth to early-twentieth centuries.
BLACK ARTISTS SHAPING ASIAN ART: JOAN KEE & STEVEN NELSON
Monday, January 22nd from 6:30pm to 8:00pm
Tickets: $15 Nonmembers, $8 Members. Students and Seniors: Contact Box Office for Discount!
In this conversation, renowned art historians Joan Kee and Steven Nelson will discuss Black artists who have incorporated Asian techniques, motifs, philosophies, and forms into their innovative works, resulting in a rich artistic dialogue that expands the boundaries of modern and contemporary art. Drawing from Kee’s recent book, The Geometries of Afro Asia: Art beyond Solidarity (2023), this discussion will center around the ink paintings of Norman Lewis, the impact of travel in China on the sculptures of Barbara Chase-Riboud, and the role of Japanese landscape architecture in the work of Martin Puryear.
Venturing beyond existing stories of globalism, the intersection of Black and Asian art can help us reimagine art history as it expands, folds, curves, and bends across time and space.
OUR CLASS
Friday, January 12th through Sunday, February 4th
Location: BAM Fisher, Fishman Space
Tickets: start at $59
MART FOUNDATION & ARLEKIN PLAYERS PRESENT
OUR CLASS
WRITTEN BY TADEUSZ SŁOBODZIANEK
DIRECTED BY IGOR GOLYAK
ADAPTATION BY NORMAN ALLEN
Featuring: Gus Birney, Andrey Burkovskiy, Jack DiFalco, José Espinosa, Tess Goldwyn, Will Manning, Stephen Ochsner, Alexandra Silber, Richard Topol and Ilia Volok.
Friends. Enemies. Classmates. Based on the true story
Ten Polish classmates — five Jewish and five Catholic — grow up as friends and neighbors, then turn on one another with life and death consequences. Inspired by real life events surrounding a horrific 1941 pogrom in a small Polish village, this shocking, timely story follows their lives from childhood through eight decades in a new contemporary production of Tadeusz Słobodzianek’s masterpiece, from Ukrainian-born Jewish director Igor Golyak (The Orchard; State vs. Natasha Banina).
ANGEL ISLAND
Thursday, January 11th through Saturday, January 13th
Location: BAM Strong, Harvey Theater
Tickets: start at $30
BAM and Prototype Festival
Present
Angel Island
Composed and conducted by Huang Ruo
Directed by Matthew Ozawa
Film by Bill Morrison
Part of Next Wave 2023
Starting in 1910, many immigrants who journeyed to America were processed at an immigration station on Angel Island, located in the middle of San Francisco Bay. Until a fire led to its closure in 1940, the station primarily functioned as a detention center, where half a million people from 80 countries were held under barbaric conditions—some for weeks, others for years. The majority of these detainees were Chinese migrants, who were banned from entering the United States under the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, with few exceptions.
Making his BAM debut, acclaimed Chinese-American composer Huang Ruo (M. Butterfly, An American Soldier, Book of Mountains & Seas) revisits this chapter of American history in Angel Island, a poignant multimedia experience scored for voices and string quartet that blurs the boundaries of opera, theater, dance, and music. In collaboration with the Del Sol Quartet, the Choir of Trinity Wall Street, and archival filmmaker Bill Morrison, Huang Ruo and director Matthew Ozawa weave a powerful requiem from the century-old poetry engraved on the detention center’s walls by some of the hundreds of thousands of Chinese immigrants who were incarcerated and subjected to dehumanizing horrors. Angel Island arrives amid an ongoing epidemic of brutal violence and rampant discrimination against immigrants, asylum-seekers, and Asians across the diaspora. This production is a stirring plea for care and empathy as well as a visceral, clear-eyed tribute to the rebellion and resilience of those who passed through and perished at Angel Island.
THE 38TH ANNUAL BROOKLYN TRIBUTE TO DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
Monday, January 15th at 10:30am
Location: Peter Jay Sharp Building, BAM Howard Gilman Opera House
Tickets: Tickets are free for this event and will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 8am on January 15 in the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House lobby.
Presented by BAM and the Office of the Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso
Part of Winter/Spring 2024
We honor Dr. King’s radical spirit at this beloved Brooklyn tradition, which rings in a new year with musical performances and an invigorating call to action. Keynote speaker Reginald Dwayne Betts—a poet, lawyer, and founder and CEO of Freedom Reads—offers reflections on freedom anchored in his own journey, his enduring commitment to social justice, and his work to radically transform access to literature in prison. Featuring uplifting performances by Sing Harlem and singer-songwriter Madison McFerrin, this annual tribute invites us to reflect, recharge, and support one another as we carry on Dr. King’s relentless pursuit of equality and justice.
SUNDAY ART: LUNAR NEW YEAR CELEBRATION
January 14th through February 18th
Tickets: free with Museum admission
Bring the family to this free drop-in program celebrating Lunar New Year. We’ll create art inspired by the collection and enjoy a lion dance performance by the Chinese Freemasons Athletic Club.
Locations
January 14: Arts of Asia, 2nd Floor
January 21: Beaux-Arts Court, 3rd Floor
January 28: Beaux-Arts Court, 3rd Floor
February 11: Egyptian Galleries, 3rd Floor
February 18: Porcelains in the Mist: The Kondō Family of Ceramicists, 2nd Floor
POP-UP PERFORMANCE:
BROOKLYN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Sunday, January 21st from 2:00pm to 4:00pm
Location: Beaux-Arts Court, 3rd Floor
Tickets: Free with Museum admission
Drop by to hear music selections performed by members of the Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra, the Museum’s orchestra in residence.
YES TRIO FEATURING ALI JACKSON JR., AARON GOLDBERG, AND OMER AVITAL
Monday, January 8th and Tuesday, January 9th
Tickets: start at $20
An explosive ensemble of swinging rhythms, virtuosic language, and high-level spontaneity, YES Trio features three distinctive solo leaders whose combined expression invites audiences to truly lose themselves in the music. Bonded by a 30-year friendship, Ali Jackson, Omer Avital, and Aaron Goldberg center swing as “a timeless idea,” and combine their roots and experiences, from Motown to the Middle East, from blues to bebop, for a joyful and sensitive journey. For this two-night event, they celebrate the release of their third album Spring Sings, presenting fresh arrangements of standards with beautiful original compositions.
A CELEBRATION OF WOMEN IN JAZZ, CURATED BY ALEXA TARANTINO AND CECILE MCLORIN SALVANT
Tuesday, January 30th at 7:00pm
Tickets: start at $20
This evening’s performance unveils a new series curated by Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Artist Advisory Council. The Council’s series showcases new and lesser-heard voices, sounds, and musings to Dizzy’s Club with the mission of expanding JALC’s global jazz community. Council members Alexa Tarantino and Cécile McLorin Salvant have co-curated this evening to celebrate women in jazz by bringing an intergenerational ensemble of up-and-coming artists to the Dizzy’s Club stage.
THE UNITY JAZZ FESTIVAL
Friday, January 12th and Saturday, January 13th
Location: Ertegun Atrium
Tickets: start at $85.50
ABOUT THE CONCERT
Welcome to Jazz at Lincoln Center’s inaugural Unity Jazz Festival! Join us for a weekend of non-stop music and vibrant entertainment. Groove to the beats of 15 diverse acts, including JALC favorites and global jazz talents. The House of Swing comes alive as we expand and uplift the JALC community. Don’t miss this must-see event with emerging acts and cherished legends.
WHAT TO EXPECT
- 1 Weekend, 15 Unique Acts: From soul-stirring vocalists to electrifying instrumentalists, experience the diverse scope of jazz in all its splendor over the course of two nights!
- The Best of Jazz: Discover seasoned maestros and rising stars as they come together under one roof, celebrating the unifying power of music.
- All-Access Pass: Be it the captivating notes of a blues performance or the rhapsodic rhythms of a big band ensemble; every corner of Jazz at Lincoln Center will be alive with music.
- Shape Your Own Musical Journey: Wander from stage to stage, letting the diverse sounds guide your journey. With the freedom to see any act, craft your own personalized jazz experience
THE BLUES WITH BOBBY RUSH AND SHEMEKIA COPELAND
Friday, January 26th and Saturday, January 27th
Location: The Appel Room
Tickets: start at $90.50
ABOUT THE CONCERT
Jazz at Lincoln Center welcomes an inexhaustible legend of blues tradition and innovation: the multi-Grammy Award-winning artist and Blues Hall of Famer Bobby Rush. At 90, the Louisiana-born singer, guitarist, and blues harp master is still a unique and electric performer who takes listeners on a kaleidoscopic journey across the landscape of 20th-century American music.
Multi-Grammy-nominated vocalist and effervescent storyteller Shemekia Copeland joins Rush for this Appel Room event.
WHAT TO EXPECT
- Blues Hall of Famer Bobby Rush’s first show at Jazz at Lincoln Center.
- Stories and songs from a legendary act who spent more than a half-century touring.
- Featuring acclaimed vocalist Shemekia Copeland.
PUTTIN’ INK ON PAPER WITH AMOS PAUL KENNEDY, JR.
Saturday, January 27th from 10:00am to 4:00pm
Tickets: $455
Poster House is excited to partner with the Center for Book Arts for a special letterpress printing workshop with Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr. Over the course of this two-day workshop, participants will work collaboratively to make posters that convey environmental messaging, inspired by Poster House’s current exhibition We Tried To Warn You! Environmental Crisis Posters, 1970-2020. Learn how to make striking compositions through the layering of wood type, and leave with a stack of posters that advocate for the environment. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to put ink on paper with a master printer described in Hyperallergic as having “the feistiness of a best friend, the warmth of a grandmother, a low tolerance for bullshit, and the energy of the most precocious toddler.”
Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr. is a prolific letterpress printer based out of Detroit, Michigan, known for his social and political commentary and distinctive, layered printing style.
EVENING OF TRANSCENDENT SOUND
Sunday, January 21st from 4:00pm to 5:30pm
Location: Armor Hall
Tickets: $50, including admission to the grounds. Wave Hill Members save 10%.
With Wave Hill’s majestic Armor Hall space as the setting, be guided through a combined musical and meditative experience in celebration of winter transcendence. Join Bronx Arts Ensemble along with Artemis Audio & Ayurveda for a unique performance and variety of healing instruments and sounds. Wind up your transcendent evening with a tranquil stroll through the winter gardens as you depart, guided by the fading sunset and the twinkling lights along the distant banks of the Hudson River. A co-presentation with Bronx Arts Ensemble. Winter Haven event.
WINTER WORKSPACE 2024:
DROP-IN SUNDAY
Sunday, January 28th from 1:00pm to 3:00pm
Location: Glyndor Gallery
Tickets: Free with admission to the grounds
The Winter Workspace is a program that takes place over two, six-week sessions and provides artists with free studio space, a financial stipend and access to Wave Hill’s living collection. Session One takes place from January 2 to February 18, 2024. Since its start 14 years ago, the Workspace has supported more than 150 artists. During the Winter Workspace, artists have intimate access to the greenhouses, as well as horticultural and curatorial staff. Experimentation is encouraged and artists expand their practices while working on site. Artists also engage with Wave Hill visitors through Drop-In Sundays and Open Studio events, as well as adult or family workshops. At the core of the Winter Workspace is the recognition that creating art within the context of a garden is a unique experience.
The Winter Workspace Drop-In Sunday series provides an opportunity for Wave Hill visitors to deepen their connection with the arts and their experience of the garden by learning how artists are drawing inspiration from our site. During this event, visitors can mingle with three Workspace Artists in their studios, ask questions and learn about their creative practice. Each Sunday a different group of artists participates.
ICE SEASON RETURNS!
now through March, 15th, 2024
Wollman Rink NYC in iconic Central Park will open for ice skating daily from Saturday, October 28th, 2023 to March 15, 2024.
Don’t miss your chance to skate at Wollman Rink NYC, the perfect place to enjoy an iconic New York experience!
Tickets on sale now!
RINK SIDE IGLOOS
now through March 15th, 2024
Elevate your skating experience at Wollman Rink inside our cozy, private, heated Rink Side igloos, under the Midtown Manhattan skyline in Central Park. Both of our transparent igloos feature an electric fireplace, soft lighting, and comfy seating for eight, as well as delicious food and beverage options.
NORDSTROM PRESENTS
HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
November through December
A stylish, heated rink side retreat, outfitted by Nordstrom, is part of the Wollman Rink Premier Pass experience. The Premier Pass, available as an upgrade to rink admission purchases online or in-person, includes expedited rink entry, skate rental concierge service, 2 hours of tent access, cozy “fireside” seating, complimentary coffee, hot chocolate, tea and refreshments, as well as a dedicated tent attendant and locker. Premier Passes are released one week in advance of public skating dates. Admission and skate rentals are separate, available on select dates during the ticket purchase process. Sessions start at the top of every hour, 2 hours before close. See Premier Pass page for available dates and times.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS 2023
By Great Performances
As we close out the year, we wanted to wish you a lovely holiday season filled with joy.
Watch our holiday greetings from our teams across our kitchens and cafes, check out the holiday tips below, and download our calendar.
Wishing you joyful and restorative holidays!
EXCITING EVENTS AROUND THE BRONX: JANUARY 2024
By Great Performances
Explore exciting community events around the Bronx this month.
SCREENING, DISCUSSION, AND EXHIBITION WALKTHROUGH
Saturday, January 6th, 2024 from 2:00pm to 4:00pm
Join us to celebrate the closing weekend of Michael Richards: Are You Down? with a special documentary film screening, discussion, and exhibition walkthrough. This culminating event will highlight Richards’ powerful sculpture and drawing practice, his friendships, the circumstances of his passing on September 11, 2001, and his enduring influence on cultural communities in New York City, Miami, and beyond.
A screening of the 30-minute documentary on Michael Richards titled Are You Down?, directed by Juan Matos and Dennis Scholl, will be followed by a discussion moderated by Scholl, with artists william cordova and Dread Scott and Michèle Wong, Associate Director & Head of Collections and Exhibitions at the Grey Art Gallery, all of whom were friends with Richards. After the screening and discussion, exhibition curators Alex Fialho and Melissa Levin will lead a walkthrough of the retrospective with cordova. This will be a unique opportunity to learn about Michael Richards from the perspective of those who knew him, offering an intimate look into Richards’ art, life, and legacy.
BRONX CALLING
THE SIXTH AIM BIENNIAL
Part I: January 26 – March 31, 2024
Part II: April 12 – June 16, 2024
Bronx Calling: The Sixth AIM Biennial features 53 emerging artists who have participated in The Bronx Museum’s flagship artist professional development program from years 2020 through 2023. Since 1980, The Bronx Museum has supported New York’s artist community through its Artist in the Marketplace (AIM) Fellowship, which has provided pivotal career support to a diverse roster of over 1,200 of New York’s most promising artists. Themes addressed in this two-part exhibition include contemporary and critical issues, such as capitalism and colonialism, as well as speculative futures.
The Sixth AIM Biennial is curated by Eileen Jeng Lynch, Director of Curatorial Programs.
HOLIDAY LIGHTS
November 17th, 2023 through January 7th, 2024
Join us for a family holiday festival at the Bronx Zoo.
During the evenings, the park comes to life with holiday cheer as immersive light displays, custom-designed animal lanterns and animated light shows sparkle across the zoo. This year, you’ll experience NEW lantern displays showcasing the wildlife of New York’s ocean waters and wetlands, plus a new interactive experience celebrating bioluminescent creatures.
Activities include:
- Holiday Train
- Ice Carving Demonstrations
- Illuminated Performers
- Wildlife Theater
- Seasonal Treats
SKETCHY SATURDAYS
Saturday, January 13th, 2024 from 12:00pm to 3:00pm
FREE!
Interested in Drawing?
Come express yourself through a variety of drawing exercises, games and techniques.
Take inspiration from our current exhibitions and receive guidance from talented teaching artists.
Explore and challenge your art skills through a selection of mediums and materials.
No previous art experience needed. For All ages!
Come join us and Let’s Get sketchy at the BxArts Factory!”
CHILDREN’S BOOK SIGNING WITH BRONX BOUND BOOKS & JANELLE HARPER
Saturday, January 20th, 2024 from 11:00am to 1:00pm
FREE! Book purchase optional
Join the BxArts Factory for a book signing by talented children’s author, Janelle Harper. Come and meet Janelle as she shares her wonderful stories and signs copies of her books. It’s a fantastic opportunity to discover new books and spend a fun-filled day with your family.
Janelle’s latest book, My Block Looks Like, will be available for purchase at Bronx Bound Books during the event. If you would like to purchase the books in advance, you can select the Eventbrite ticket options that include the price of one or both books. You can also attend the event for free to meet Janelle and enjoy the family-friendly atmosphere.
HART ISLAND TOUR
Tuesday, January 16th and Tuesday, January 30th
Join us for a family holiday festival at the Bronx Zoo.
Hart Island is the largest public cemetery in the country and has served New York City since 1869. While Hart Island is currently only used for city burials, the island has served many uses since the 19th Century, including a quarantine station, a psychiatric hospital, a tuberculosis ward, a reform school, a homeless shelter, a rehabilitation facility, a military base, and a jail.
Join the Urban Park Rangers to explore Hart Island’s unique past, present, and future. Participants are chosen by lottery.
Lottery registration opens on Wednesday January 3, 2024 and ends Thursday January 4, 2024 at 11:59 p.m.
HOLIDAY TRAIN SHOW®
November 17th, 2023 through January 15th, 2024
Location: at the Garden
New York City’s Most Beloved Holiday Tradition Is Back!
The Holiday Train Show returns bigger than ever with more trains and an all-new, outdoor train display. Start on the lawn to capture your perfect holiday photos at our outdoor mountainscapes and then watch trains zip past nearly 200 iconic New York landmarks under the warmth of the Conservatory. After dark, join us for NYBG GLOW and discover the beauty of our landscape and historic buildings, illuminated across the grounds. And don’t miss the return of our fan-favorite Bar Car Nights, 21-and-over evenings featuring the Holiday Train Show and curated cocktails. These special evenings feature music, experiences, food, and more—making for the ultimate night out this season.
BAR CAR NIGHTS
January 5th
Location: at the Garden
Tickets: Non-Members $54; Garden Members $34
(Adults 21 and over)
All Aboard for Adults-Only Nights at the Holiday Train Show
On special evenings exclusively for adults 21 and over, fan-favorite Bar Car Nights make a comeback with nighttime viewings of the Holiday Train Show® and NYBG GLOW—complete with light bites and curated cocktails available for purchase. Grab a drink and step into the Haupt Conservatory to discover New York City’s most beloved holiday tradition under the warm and twinkling lights, then head outdoors for an illuminated experience across Garden grounds that’s unlike anything else in the five boroughs!
NEW YEAR’S DAY BEACH HIKE
Monday, January 1st, 2024 from 11:00am to 12:30pm
Location: Section 2 Orchard Beach in Pelham Bay Park
If your New Year’s resolution is to get healthy, join the Urban Park Rangers on a lengthy hike. Dress warmly, put on your hiking shoes, and head to the park. Urban Park Ranger hiking guides will introduce you to the hidden gems of New York City. Explore nature, discover our city’s urban forests, and unplug from the world to clear your head.
THE SOUNDVIEW GARDENER’S CLUB
every Tuesday from 3:00pm to 6:00pm
Location: Soundview Field House – 1550 Lafayette Avenue, Bronx
The Soundview Gardener’s Club is a space where After-School students from local schools and community volunteers come together to clear invasive plants, plant trees/native plants, and spread mulch as part of our forest restoration efforts in Soundview Park in The Bronx.
NYRR OPEN RUN: SOUNDVIEW PARK
every Saturday from 9:00am to 12:00pm
Location: Entrance – Lafayette Avenue and Morrison Avenue
NYRR Open Run brings free, 5K weekly community-led runs, to neighborhood parks across the greater New York City area. The program is free and open to runners and walkers of all ages, abilities, and experience levels.
Called the “Gateway to the Bronx River,” 205-acre Soundview Park is located where the Bronx River opens into the East River. This urban green space is filled with grassy baseball and soccer fields, a cricket pitch, basketball courts, a running track, walking/biking paths, picnic fields, and more! With its extensive views of the water, Soundview Park celebrates the beauty of both the Bronx and East Rivers. The back part of our Open Run course has beautiful views of the Bronx River waterfront for participants to enjoy!
NYRR OPEN RUN: ST. MARY’S PARK
every Saturday from 9:00am to 12:00pm
Location: St. Mary’s Annual 5K Start, East 149th and Eagle Ave
NYRR Open Run brings free, 5K weekly community-led runs, to neighborhood parks across the greater New York City area. The program is free and open to runners and walkers of all ages, abilities, and experience levels.
St. Mary’s Park offers a wonderful respite from the hustle and bustle of urban life. Located in the Mott Haven neighborhood in the South Bronx, the park features rolling hills, expanses of green grass, and grand old trees. The site was once part of the estate of Jonas Bronck (1600-43), for whom the Bronx is named. It is one of the largest parks in the area with a pool, playground, basketball courts, an indoor recreation center, picnic seating areas, and more. In the winter, the hills are perfect for sledding. St. Mary’s Park received $30 million from NYC’s Anchor Parks initiative, which will renovate the park’s ballfields, pathways, and amphitheater.
Did you know that Great Performances is headquartered in the Mott Haven neighborhood of the Bronx? We love being a part of the Bronx community, supporting other Bronx-based companies, and giving back to our community.
LESSONS FROM BUILDING A NEW WEBSITE
By Carina Hayek
As I turn the corner on five years at GP, I’m getting ready to launch the newest iteration of our website. It’ll be my third website launch at GP, but the previous two went largely unnoticed – by design. Our first website relaunch was early 2019 and I’d inherited it from my predecessor. There were minor changes to design and copy and some underlying SEO work that had been done. But by and large, very few noticeable changes to outsiders. Our next change took place in 2020, just before pandemic hit and dramatically changed how we operated. Visually, our website didn’t change, but behind the scenes, we made a major change in moving to WordPress, overhauling search engine optimization, increasing the number of calls to action, implementing better tracking and flow throughs, and creating strategic content to drive traffic. It worked. Despite the lull in events, we doubled our site visitors and the number of leads we generated on our website.
Although we had a lot of great elements on our website, our business was evolving and as much as we worked to integrate the changes in our existing website structure, it was starting to look dated and it didn’t serve us in the ways we needed it to serve us – and our visitors.
As we considered our needs for our website, we knew that it had to reflect our future while staying true to our ethos; that we had to prioritize the visitor experience and make it easy for them to navigate the complexity of GP – without realizing how complex it could be; and to build a platform that would allow for continued growth, evolution, and expansion. But that makes it sound simple. We engaged a consulting team to facilitate the project and a website team to lead development. Here’s what we learned along the way.
Although we are all things to all people, we needed to create a site that made us the exact right thing for that specific visitor on our site – no matter who they were or what they were looking for (as long as it was catering, events, or hospitality related, of course). That meant creating a path that took them from 30,000 feet to 10 feet effortlessly.
Look for the friction. These are the moments that your preferences are being challenged and for most people, it’s instinctive to push back or reject whatever is creating that friction or discomfort. It’s often accompanied by statements of “I don’t like it,” or “That’s now how we’ve done it,” or even “We’ve tried that before and it didn’t work.” Instead of immediately pushing back, sit in that discomfort and ask what’s triggering that. It’s a humbling and necessary part of the process.
This goes hand in hand with coming to terms with the fact that we’re not building the website for ourselves, but very specifically for people who are not us. People who bring their tastes, perspectives, and experiences to their viewing of our website. This seems elementary, but as we’ve been sharing the website with more people within GP, we need to remind ourselves of this. This is especially true if you’re building something to draw in a different generation. (Ouch)
Look for people who are going to disagree with you. One of the early pain points we had in working on our website was people agreeing to all feedback without pushing back and providing their opinions. Have the disagreements and discussions throughout the process because all the data points are important considerations. We want the best solution, not just a solution.
And most importantly, before beginning, plan to plan. And plan to spend a lot of time planning. At the end of the day, it saves time and frustration and can even help accelerate the process. When you think you’re done planning, take another day to do more planning. Although we spent a lot of time planning (which led to frustration and a feeling that we weren’t making progress), we continued to uncover areas that we perhaps didn’t plan enough. We also discovered that we’re a lot more complex than we might want to admit.
The rest of the stuff – CTAs, SEO, UI/UX, and all the myriad acronyms; the brand and mission alignment; the story-telling and customer journey – everyone knows and should be an automatic part of the website development process.
Our launch date is right around the corner, and I can’t wait to see the result of our months of hard work, sleepless nights, and feisty debates. And although we’ll take a moment to catch our breath and appreciate what we’ve built, a website is not a destination, but a journey. It should be ever evolving, and if we’ve done our jobs right, the new site should continue to grow and evolve as GP does.
LIZ'S LIST OF GIVING 2023
By Liz Neumark
New York is home. And it is a big, complex, kind, tough, and indomitable city.
It showers some with riches while being ground zero to suffering, hunger and hardship for far too many of our neighbors.
The pain is both in plain sight and invisible. We are a subway stop, a quick walk or just around the corner from the widest range of realities.
Supporting the nonprofits that help our neighbors and our city is important to all of us.
We each have causes that speak to our hearts be it anti-hunger, the arts, community health, homelessness, addiction, education, children or the elderly.
Here is a short list of some organizations I do my best to help support along with an invitation to you to learn more about them.
The Sylvia Center
The Sylvia Center educates young people on the connection between food and health.
We help children and teens take control of their health through better food choices, and encourage them to be healthy food advocates in their communities.
GrowNYC
For over 50 years, we have believed that everyone can make a positive impact and that collective action is necessary to secure a clean & healthy environment for future generations.
CityMeals
Citymeals on Wheels provides a continuous lifeline of nourishing meals and vital companionship to our homebound elderly neighbors.
Public Housing Community Fund
The Fund for Public Housing enhances the lives of NYCHA residents and uplifts the importance of public housing to New York City.
Open House New York
Open House New York promotes unparalleled access to the city—to the places, people, projects, systems, and ideas that define New York and its future.
Bronx River Alliance
The Bronx River Alliance serves as a coordinated voice for the river. We work in harmonious partnership to protect, improve and restore the Bronx River corridor. Our goal is to make a healthy ecological, recreational, educational, and economic resource for all communities through which the river flows.
Bronx Museum of the Arts
The Bronx Museum of the Arts is a contemporary art museum that connects diverse audiences to the urban experience through its permanent collection, special exhibitions, and education programs. Reflecting the borough’s dynamic communities, the Museum is the crossroad where artists, local residents, national and international visitors meet.
The Knowledge House
The Knowledge House (TKH) was founded in 2014 to close the gaps in the education-to-employment pipeline by leading digital skills training in coding and design for underserved young people in the Bronx. TKH combines technology training, career support, and a comprehensive network of partners to help disconnected job seekers secure rewarding careers in the tech economy and become financially independent. TKH aims to lift entire communities out of poverty by creating a pipeline of talented and capable workers equipped with the technology and skills that provide economic opportunity, living wages, and career mobility.
West Side Campaign Against Hunger
West Side Campaign Against Hunger is on a mission to alleviate hunger by ensuring that all New Yorkers have access with dignity to a choice of healthy food and supportive services.
Bronx Community Foundation
The Bronx Community Foundation is the first and only community foundation in The Bronx, solely dedicated to delivering resources to the borough.
The Bronx Community Foundation supports and invests in community power to eradicate inequity and build sustainable futures for all Bronxites.
NEW YORK CITY TOURISM FOUNDATION GALA 2023
The Gala
On December 5th in the Grand Ballroom at the Plaza Hotel, New York City Tourism Foundation honored leaders who represent the best of NYC at their 21st Annual Gala. The event, which is also a fundraiser, raised more than $600,000 to further its mission of sustaining the local nonprofit arts community through cultural tourism development and education and outreach projects across the city. This year, funds will support the Borough Cultural Tourism Development Grant Program which supports audience development for cultural organizations across New York’s boroughs in partnership with the Borough Presidents’ offices.
Liz Neumark and Great Performances were delighted to be included in this year’s group of honorees.
United Airlines, accepted by Josh Earnest, EVP of Communications and Advertising (presented by Kathryn S. Wylde, President and CEO of the Partnership for NYC) ‘
Greater New York Hospital Association (GNYHA), accepted by President Kenneth E. Raske (presented by Philip Ozuah, GNYHA Board Chair and President and CEO of Montefiore Einstein)
Liz Neumark and Great Performances, accepted by Liz Neumark, CEO and Founder (presented by Marcy Blum, Event Planner and Owner of Marcy Blum Associates)
Jonelle Procope, President and CEO Emerita of The Apollo received the Lifetime Achievement Award (presented by Charles E. Phillips, Chairman, Board of Directors, the Apollo Theater, and Managing Partner and Co-Founder, RECOGNIZE)
“For more than 20 years, the New York City Tourism Foundation Gala has placed a spotlight on leaders and businesses who continue to make tourism a driving force in the City’s economy, while supporting the cultural institutions that make up the fabric of our industry,” said Fred Dixon, President and CEO of New York City Tourism + Conventions. “Congratulations to this year’s honorees for their many years of incredible vision and partnership.”
“The Foundation’s work makes the Borough Cultural Tourism Development Grant Program possible,” said Charles Flateman, Board Chair of New York City Tourism + Conventions and Executive Vice President of The Shubert Organization. “Funds raised this evening provide resources to the many institutions that help make NYC one of the most culturally rich destinations in the world.”
By Kelly Curtin, Executive Vice President, Membership & Destination Services, NYC Tourism Foundation
We are thrilled to hold The New York City Tourism Foundation Gala event once again at The Plaza with CPS Events. Since its inception 2001, we have held this event 20 times, most frequently at The Plaza. The setting, especially in the holiday season, is second to none, as are the expert team and the culinary creations. We feel extremely at home there and are so grateful to be back again this year
Among the honorees, we’re especially excited to celebrate Liz Neumark and Great Performances. Liz’s creation of Great Performances–one of the most iconic New York City caterers serving our City’s most loved cultural intuitions–is huge in itself. When coupled with her incredible dedication to our communities, sustainability, and the next generation of hospitality leaders, Liz is the perfect honoree for our Foundation.
Our Foundation is dedicated to supporting our City’s vibrant and diverse cultural scene, particularly in the boroughs. These small organizations are what make New York City New York City. They provide reasons for visitors and residents to explore these neighborhoods which in turn support jobs and local economies.
We can only be successful and continue our support of New York City through your support. Here is a link to this year’s Gala invitation and highlighted below are key details on the event:
Honorees: Greater New York Hospital Association
Liz Neumark & Great Performances Catering
United Airlines
Lifetime Achievement Award – Jonelle Procope, President and CEO, Emerita of the Apollo Theater
About the New York City Tourism Foundation:
Formerly known as tghe NYC & Company Foundation, we recently changed the name to the New York City Tourism Foundation to complement our company rebranding to New York City Tourism + Conventions this past March. Our Foundation is a 501(c)3, established in 1999 to support the vibrant arts and cultural community across all five boroughs. One of the main programs of our Foundation is the Borough Grant Program. Since 1999, we have given more than $4.5M to nearly 300 small arts and culturals organizations across the city for cultural tourism development, audience education and outreach projects. In addition, the Foundation provides scholarships to support the education and development of the next generation of nonprofit cultural professionals.
The annual Gala in December which began in 2001, is THE primary source of funding for the Foundation. During the recent pandemic, we were not able to hold a Gala in 2020 or 2021, however, we continued to give out grants as the culturals needed help more than ever. Last year, we raised more than $800,000 at the event which helped rebuild our resources to be able to continue the Borough Grant Program. Sample Borough Grant recipients include: Museum at Eldridge Street, Leslie Lohman Museum, Hudson Warehouse, Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival, Make Music New York, Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival, Harlem School of the Arts, Manhattan School of Music, Festival of Cinema, Alice Austin House and the St. George Theatre. These are just a few of the organizations who have received grants throughout the years. More information on the Foundation can be found here.
THE ANNUAL NEW YORK TIMES DEALBOOK SUMMIT
By Ronnie Davis, Managing Director, Great Performances
There is something incredibly special about working in the “Greatest City in the World” to quote the smash Broadway Play Hamilton. It is unlike doing events anywhere else. Last week’s annual New York Times Dealbook Summit proved this once again. We at Great Performances have been privileged to work on this event for many years now and bear witness to some amazing and newsworthy insights from some of the most interesting minds to grace a stage. It is moments like this that make working in New York so unique. Set in what I consider the most beautiful room in the New York Event world, the Appel Room at Jazz at Lincoln Center, we heard business trends from cooperate giants like Bob Igor of Disney and Jamie Dimon of JP Morgan Chase. United States Vice President Kamala Harris and Isaac Herzog, the President of Israel offered insights to current events. TV producer and screenwriter Shonda Rhimes shared thoughts on some of the hit shows she has been a part of, and of course there was the controversial interview with Elon Musk that is still grabbing press attention.
In support of this great conference, we served breakfast using recipes from the New York Times “Cooking” in a successful attempt to capture the essence of New York City in our culinary offerings. Among the breakfast selections:
Vegan Pancakes Vegan Pancakes Recipe – NYT Cooking (nytimes.com) and Chia Pudding with Berries and Popped Amaranth Chia Pudding With Berries and Popped Amaranth Recipe – NYT Cooking (nytimes.com)
For lunch Great Performances Chef Andrew Smith created a beautiful salad of Tuscan Kale, Red Endive, Watercress & Watermelon Radishes with Roasted Pears, Toasted Pumpkin Seeds, Quinoa, and a Seasonal Cider Vinaigrette. We then offered guests a choice of proteins also curated from the NY Times “Cooking.”
Grilled Chicken Breast Grilled Chicken Breasts Recipe – NYT Cooking (nytimes.com)
Seared Plank Salmon Cedar Plank Salmon Recipe – NYT Cooking (nytimes.com)
Grilled Tofu Grilled Tofu Recipe – NYT Cooking (nytimes.com)
At the conclusion of the Summit there was a Reception offering a selection of Hors D’ Oeuvres, Champagne and Cocktails from our current Fall menus held in the Ertegun Atrium with views of Columbus Circle and Central Park as attendees listened of course, to a Jazz Trio playing in the background. A remarkable finish to a unique New York experience thanks to the New York Times.
The privilege of being “In The Room Where It Happens” in the Greatest City in the World is why we do what we do. This amazing City keeps giving us remarkable events like the Dealbook Summit.
I love New York.