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

CELEBRATING MOTHER'S DAY

By Great Performances

We set aside the second Sunday in May each year to celebrate the mothers in our lives (although really, we should celebrate them every day!) Mothers – biological mothers, chosen mothers, and mother figures – play such a significant role in our lives. From the moment we are connected, they give us unconditional love, unflagging support, and even the tough love we need to become the best version of ourselves.

As we reflect on the countless things mothers do for their children, it’s only right that we take a day to honor and celebrate them.

We’ve rounded up some of our favorite ways to celebrate the moms in our lives. From special meals that you can cook at home to fun experiences outside the home, we’ve got you covered.

Make Your Mom a Homemade Breakfast for Mother's Day

Prepare your mom’s favorite recipe for a special start to Mother’s Day! Or check out our library of breakfast and brunch recipes for inspiration. Pro tip: don’t forget to clean up afterwards!

Take Your Mom on a Special Outing for Mother's Day

From enjoying nature at Wave Hill and savoring a delicious picnic to exploring art at The Brooklyn Museum followed by a meal at The Norm, we’ve got some fun ideas for places to go and things to do with your mom.

Wave Hill

Mother’s Day Picnic

New York Botanical Garden

Mother’s Day Garden Celebration

Crotona Park

Mother’s Day Nature Crafts

Dizzy’s Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center

Julliard Jazz Orchestra Plays Ellington: The Blanton-Webster Era

Brooklyn Museum

For more events and ideas browse our list of partner events and Bronx events.

Give Your Mom a Card for Mother's Day

Check out our beautiful Mother’s Day card that you can print and fold, with plenty of space for your own special message. We even have cards that younger members of the family can personalize by coloring in.

Get Creative with Homemade Gifts for Mother's Day

Give homemade gifts instead of store-bought items. We’ve got some delicious recipes that are perfect for making at home and gifting.

Give the Gift of Culture

This holiday season, give the gift of culture to your loved ones by purchasing a membership for them to one of our cultural partners! Memberships provide a deeper connection to art, culture, and community. They also come with a ton of great perks including early access to tickets, ticket discounts, exclusive events, merchandise discounts, and more.

Scroll below to learn more about our cultural partners and their membership options.

Apollo Theater
The legendary Apollo—the soul of American culture—plays a vital role in cultivating emerging artists and launching legends. Since its founding, the Apollo has served as a center of innovation and a creative catalyst for Harlem, the city of New York, and the world.
Membership Options
Apollo Theater
The legendary Apollo—the soul of American culture—plays a vital role in cultivating emerging artists and launching legends. Since its founding, the Apollo has served as a center of innovation and a creative catalyst for Harlem, the city of New York, and the world.
Membership Options
Apollo Theater
The legendary Apollo—the soul of American culture—plays a vital role in cultivating emerging artists and launching legends. Since its founding, the Apollo has served as a center of innovation and a creative catalyst for Harlem, the city of New York, and the world.
Membership Options
Brooklyn Academy of Music​
BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music) is a multi-arts center located in Brooklyn, New York. For more than 150 years, BAM has been the home for adventurous artists, audiences, and ideas—engaging both global and local communities. With world-renowned programming in theater, dance, music, opera, film, and much more, BAM showcases the work of emerging artists and innovative modern masters.
Membership Options
Brooklyn Academy of Music​
BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music) is a multi-arts center located in Brooklyn, New York. For more than 150 years, BAM has been the home for adventurous artists, audiences, and ideas—engaging both global and local communities. With world-renowned programming in theater, dance, music, opera, film, and much more, BAM showcases the work of emerging artists and innovative modern masters.
Membership Options
Brooklyn Academy of Music​
BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music) is a multi-arts center located in Brooklyn, New York. For more than 150 years, BAM has been the home for adventurous artists, audiences, and ideas—engaging both global and local communities. With world-renowned programming in theater, dance, music, opera, film, and much more, BAM showcases the work of emerging artists and innovative modern masters.
Membership Options
Brooklyn Museum
The Brooklyn Museum is one of the world's most welcoming and contemporary encyclopedic museums and is every bit Brooklyn: creative, relevant, diverse, and trailblazing. A Museum Membership celebrates this spirit, inviting you to experience the great art, big ideas, and courageous conversations that can only be found here.
Membership Options
Brooklyn Museum
The Brooklyn Museum is one of the world's most welcoming and contemporary encyclopedic museums and is every bit Brooklyn: creative, relevant, diverse, and trailblazing. A Museum Membership celebrates this spirit, inviting you to experience the great art, big ideas, and courageous conversations that can only be found here.
Membership Options
Brooklyn Museum
The Brooklyn Museum is one of the world's most welcoming and contemporary encyclopedic museums and is every bit Brooklyn: creative, relevant, diverse, and trailblazing. A Museum Membership celebrates this spirit, inviting you to experience the great art, big ideas, and courageous conversations that can only be found here.
Membership Options
Caramoor
Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts is a destination for exceptional music, captivating programs, spectacular gardens and grounds, and wonderful moments with friends and family. It enriches the lives of its audiences through innovative and diverse musical performances of the highest quality. Its mission also includes mentoring young professional musicians and providing educational programs for young children centered around music.
Membership Options
Caramoor
Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts is a destination for exceptional music, captivating programs, spectacular gardens and grounds, and wonderful moments with friends and family. It enriches the lives of its audiences through innovative and diverse musical performances of the highest quality. Its mission also includes mentoring young professional musicians and providing educational programs for young children centered around music.
Membership Options
Caramoor
Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts is a destination for exceptional music, captivating programs, spectacular gardens and grounds, and wonderful moments with friends and family. It enriches the lives of its audiences through innovative and diverse musical performances of the highest quality. Its mission also includes mentoring young professional musicians and providing educational programs for young children centered around music.
Membership Options
City Parks Foundation
At City Parks Foundation, we are dedicated to invigorating and transforming parks into dynamic, vibrant centers of urban life through sports, arts, community building and education programs for all New Yorkers. Our programs — located in hundreds of parks, recreation centers and public schools across New York City — reach thousands of people each year.
Membership Options
City Parks Foundation
At City Parks Foundation, we are dedicated to invigorating and transforming parks into dynamic, vibrant centers of urban life through sports, arts, community building and education programs for all New Yorkers. Our programs — located in hundreds of parks, recreation centers and public schools across New York City — reach thousands of people each year.
Membership Options
City Parks Foundation
At City Parks Foundation, we are dedicated to invigorating and transforming parks into dynamic, vibrant centers of urban life through sports, arts, community building and education programs for all New Yorkers. Our programs — located in hundreds of parks, recreation centers and public schools across New York City — reach thousands of people each year.
Membership Options
Jazz at Lincoln Center
Jazz at Lincoln Center (JALC) is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization. It produces an annual concert season in Rose Theater and the Appel Room and nightly concerts at Dizzy's Club, all located in at Frederick P. Rose Hall on the 5th floor of the Time Warner Center in Columbus Circle, NYC. In the Spirit of Swing. The mission of Jazz at Lincoln Center is to entertain, enrich and expand a global community for jazz through performance, education and advocacy.
Membership Options
Jazz at Lincoln Center
Jazz at Lincoln Center (JALC) is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization. It produces an annual concert season in Rose Theater and the Appel Room and nightly concerts at Dizzy's Club, all located in at Frederick P. Rose Hall on the 5th floor of the Time Warner Center in Columbus Circle, NYC. In the Spirit of Swing. The mission of Jazz at Lincoln Center is to entertain, enrich and expand a global community for jazz through performance, education and advocacy.
Membership Options
Jazz at Lincoln Center
Jazz at Lincoln Center (JALC) is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization. It produces an annual concert season in Rose Theater and the Appel Room and nightly concerts at Dizzy's Club, all located in at Frederick P. Rose Hall on the 5th floor of the Time Warner Center in Columbus Circle, NYC. In the Spirit of Swing. The mission of Jazz at Lincoln Center is to entertain, enrich and expand a global community for jazz through performance, education and advocacy.
Membership Options
Katchkie Farm
Katchkie Farm is Great Performances' NOFA-certified organic farm in upstate New York. A source of inspiration and ingredients, it's the product of close collaboration between Great Performances chefs and Katchkie Farm's head farmer. Filled with delicious produce, the CSA is the perfect gift for a veggie lover and adventurous eater. You'll find rossa lungha onions, watermelon radishes, mini purple daikon, garlic scapes, delicata squash, and so much more throughout the season.
CSA Shares
Katchkie Farm
Katchkie Farm is Great Performances' NOFA-certified organic farm in upstate New York. A source of inspiration and ingredients, it's the product of close collaboration between Great Performances chefs and Katchkie Farm's head farmer. Filled with delicious produce, the CSA is the perfect gift for a veggie lover and adventurous eater. You'll find rossa lungha onions, watermelon radishes, mini purple daikon, garlic scapes, delicata squash, and so much more throughout the season.
CSA Shares
Katchkie Farm
Katchkie Farm is Great Performances' NOFA-certified organic farm in upstate New York. A source of inspiration and ingredients, it's the product of close collaboration between Great Performances chefs and Katchkie Farm's head farmer. Filled with delicious produce, the CSA is the perfect gift for a veggie lover and adventurous eater. You'll find rossa lungha onions, watermelon radishes, mini purple daikon, garlic scapes, delicata squash, and so much more throughout the season.
CSA Shares
Poster House
Poster House is dedicated to presenting the impact, culture, and design of posters, both as historical documents and methods of contemporary visual communication. Through temporary exhibitions, a growing permanent collection, and educational events, Poster House explores the enormous impact of posters on society and culture, and how they have been adapted to contemporary use.
Membership Options
Poster House
Poster House is dedicated to presenting the impact, culture, and design of posters, both as historical documents and methods of contemporary visual communication. Through temporary exhibitions, a growing permanent collection, and educational events, Poster House explores the enormous impact of posters on society and culture, and how they have been adapted to contemporary use.
Membership Options
Poster House
Poster House is dedicated to presenting the impact, culture, and design of posters, both as historical documents and methods of contemporary visual communication. Through temporary exhibitions, a growing permanent collection, and educational events, Poster House explores the enormous impact of posters on society and culture, and how they have been adapted to contemporary use.
Membership Options
Signature Theatre
Signature Theatre is a space for artists and audiences to call home. Signature creates opportunities through the spaces and support it offers the theater community. For playwrights, Signature’s unique playwright-in-residence model offers the stability and support of home. For audiences, Signature offers access to all, offering a welcoming creative community and affordable ticketing programs.
Membership Options
Signature Theatre
Signature Theatre is a space for artists and audiences to call home. Signature creates opportunities through the spaces and support it offers the theater community. For playwrights, Signature’s unique playwright-in-residence model offers the stability and support of home. For audiences, Signature offers access to all, offering a welcoming creative community and affordable ticketing programs.
Membership Options
Signature Theatre
Signature Theatre is a space for artists and audiences to call home. Signature creates opportunities through the spaces and support it offers the theater community. For playwrights, Signature’s unique playwright-in-residence model offers the stability and support of home. For audiences, Signature offers access to all, offering a welcoming creative community and affordable ticketing programs.
Membership Options
Wave Hill
Wave Hill is a public garden and cultural center in the Bronx overlooking the Hudson River, with sweeping views west to the New Jersey Palisades. Aside from the traditional gardens that one expects, Wave Hill has some more unexpected surprises, like paths that wind across a carpet of bright wildflowers in springtime and a pool adorned with water lilies and lotus flowers through the summer and fall.
Membership Options
Wave Hill
Wave Hill is a public garden and cultural center in the Bronx overlooking the Hudson River, with sweeping views west to the New Jersey Palisades. Aside from the traditional gardens that one expects, Wave Hill has some more unexpected surprises, like paths that wind across a carpet of bright wildflowers in springtime and a pool adorned with water lilies and lotus flowers through the summer and fall.
Membership Options
Wave Hill
Wave Hill is a public garden and cultural center in the Bronx overlooking the Hudson River, with sweeping views west to the New Jersey Palisades. Aside from the traditional gardens that one expects, Wave Hill has some more unexpected surprises, like paths that wind across a carpet of bright wildflowers in springtime and a pool adorned with water lilies and lotus flowers through the summer and fall.
Membership Options
Wollman Rink
For more than 70 years, Wollman Rink has served as a unique skating and event venue for New York City. Located in the heart of Central Park, the rink is dedicated to advancing all communities through connection and cultural celebration. Operated by Wollman Park Partners, the rink offers ice skating, artistic programming, neighborhood and community events all year long.
Season Pass Options
Wollman Rink
For more than 70 years, Wollman Rink has served as a unique skating and event venue for New York City. Located in the heart of Central Park, the rink is dedicated to advancing all communities through connection and cultural celebration. Operated by Wollman Park Partners, the rink offers ice skating, artistic programming, neighborhood and community events all year long.
Season Pass Options
Wollman Rink
For more than 70 years, Wollman Rink has served as a unique skating and event venue for New York City. Located in the heart of Central Park, the rink is dedicated to advancing all communities through connection and cultural celebration. Operated by Wollman Park Partners, the rink offers ice skating, artistic programming, neighborhood and community events all year long.
Season Pass Options