A NEW APPROACH TO COMMUNITY: WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
By Georgette Farkas
His white chef’s coat was splattered in avocado green with red flecks of tomato and tobacco. Reign Rodriguez, the recently arrived kitchen intern, was also wearing a broad grin reflecting his satisfaction at having helped prepare gallons of guacamole. Reign came to Great Performances by way of the Youth Action Youth Build (YAYB) program. They had prepared him with six weeks of culinary and food safety training, but this was his very first experience in a professional kitchen.
YAYB, based in East Harlem, is dedicated to putting young adults on the path to self-empowerment. Great Performances is making their kitchens a stepping stone along that path. The YAYB program includes job skills training, job placement services, high school equivalency certification and a safe environment where students are positively encouraged to become leaders in their communities.
While Reign is choosing to go on to the Navy once he receives his GED, his fellow intern, Jasmine Villalongo, has developed a real taste for culinary life. Just three weeks into her internship, Jasmine found a mentor in Great Performances Pastry Chef Albert Bello. Having a seasoned professional take an interest and dedicate time to providing hands on instruction makes all the difference. Chef Albert’s standards are rigorous, but he also understands that Jasmine is still a student, taking her first steps in this new professional environment.
Five out of Jasmine’s eight weeks of internship will focus entirely on pastry. She began learning speed and consistency by adding finishing touches to petits fours. It takes time to perfect coating lemon pops in meringue or cheesecake pops in white chocolate. Today Jasmine is rolling chocolate kormos logs to be served at Greek American Foundation gala. “The scale of the kitchen here is much bigger than what I expected,” explains Jasmine, who spent her first few weeks honing her knife skills on the vegetable station. “I was cutting fruits and vegetables I had never seen before. This is a whole new area for me.” If all goes well, Jasmine’s internship could lead to full time employment.
While Great Performances has long been steeped in community, today the outreach extends well beyond their tradition of supporting food banks and heathy eating programs. The company has recently begun partnering with a number of workforce development organizations. This two-way street brings together populations in need of training, job readiness and connections and a business ready to devote time and energy to supporting them. Great Performances first steps in this area have been with Youth Acton Youth Build. They are also developing a strong bond with Hot bread Kitchen, an organization that creates economic opportunity for immigrant women and women of color through job skills training, food entrepreneurship programs, and an ecosystem of support in New York City.
Workforce Development Coordinator, Moses McBride explained that YAYB wants to empower young adults to make change right in their own communities and that one of the best ways to accomplish this is through on the job vocational training. He believes internships show young people what a stable career path could look like. “I faced many of the same challenges as the young people in our program,” explains Moses, who knows what a difference it makes to access skills and credentials. “Working with young people, you see a steep learning curve and the ability to adapt to new environments. These may be individuals who are outside the mainstream and feel they don’t fit in. Their new-found skills can fulfill their need to feel validated.” He loves to see them become committed and focused and find a purpose. According to Moses, a professional environment with standards and expectations is part of the experience and helps interns gage their tenacity and willpower, while building both tangible and intangible skills. The Great Performances kitchen may be just the place to make that happen.
Our team of event planners – with a cumulative experience of 250 years over tens of thousands of events with millions of guests – recently sat down and shared some of their top tips for planning and hosting a great event. From weddings and mitzvahs to conferences and galas, they’ve handled almost every kind of event, successfully navigating any obstacle and challenge from furniture not showing up to furniture collapsing minutes before guest arrivals; from torrential downpours on a day with a zero percent chance of rain to soaring temperatures resulting in blackouts and no air-conditioning; and from guest counts increasing last minute requiring food to seemingly multiply to a featured dish disappearing hours before service. They’ve seen it all and successfully managed the challenges with such poise and grace that the guests – and often the hosts – didn’t even know that there was a problem.
Read on to discover our top tips or check out some winter event ideas to get your party planning juices flowing!
Food & Beverage Tips
Include fun beverage choices for non-drinkers.
We’re coming across more “sober-curious” guests who want to enjoy fun, beautiful, instagramable drinks without the hangover. Provide a variety of juices and soft beverages and make sure you have at least one specialty zero-proof cocktail for guests to enjoy.
Plan to accommodate multiple dietary preferences and restrictions.
Allergy-free, vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan–know who’s eating what. Knowing what dietary preferences and restrictions your guests have and communicating that with your planners ensures that everyone feels included and can enjoy all aspects of the event. We’re encouraging hosts to go a step further and build a menu that already accounts for various diets.
Event Timing Tips
Event Planning Tips
Spend enough time planning.
Engage your planner and review your event details to confirm your event needs. Any changes should be made well in advance of the event. What may seem like a small change may have a domino effect and impact many other factors of your event. Proper planning and consulting with your event planner can save everyone headache and money in the long run.
Be comfortable with your backup plan.
This is probably the most emphatically agreed upon tip from all of our planners. It’s important to not just have a backup plan, but be comfortable with it! In fact, the more comfortable you are with your backup plan, the better everything else will be. You’ll be confident going into your originally planned event because you know you have a contingency plan that will work and be wonderful; and if plans go awry, you’ll be ready to act upon your contingency plan quickly and seamlessly.
Updated Winter 2024 – 2025
CELEBRATING FATHER'S DAY: TIMING IS EVERYTHING
At Great Performances, we not only celebrate life’s moments for our clients, but for our own families and colleagues as well. This year, we’re especially fortunate in celebrating Father’s Day across several generations, including two very new dads – Chef Stratos Georgedakis who just welcomed a baby in early May and our booking directory Tim Berryman who welcomed a baby just a short week ago. Congratulations to the two of them!
Over the years, we’ve shared some wonderful stories from our colleagues about their fathers day traditions and memories. This year, we’re delighted to share a story from the perspective of one of our dear colleague’s sons.
You’ll remember Mike Warren, Director of Catering at CPS Events at The Plaza, and the photo he shared a couple years ago of he and his sons at his wedding. This year, Mike’s son, Elliott, contributed an article about what Father’s Day means for him and how food
Me and my boys at my wedding. Love wins. They love me for who I am, and I love them unconditionally.
Father's Day Reunion: Celebrating by Cooking Together
by Elliot Warren
Growing up with a dad in the catering industry meant being raised, in part, by food. Father’s Day was not the only excuse for mouth watering steaks (a regular occurrence in my household, and my dad’s favorite meal) or a fine selection of cheese, charcuterie, and all the accoutrements—that was just a regular Sunday evening for me. If it’s not already obvious, my dad made sure that I grew up with an appreciation and respect for food and all the wonderful experiences and memories it brings.
When I moved away to college in DC, I brought my love of food with me. I was the chef-du-jour for my fraternity’s Thanksgiving, winter holiday, and Superbowl parties. As I grew older, the love for food my father instilled in me only grew. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic hindered my ability to share with him my ever-improving culinary skills.
After not being able to see each other for two years, my dad visited me in my new home in Richmond, Virginia. At the top of his to-do list for our visit was to cook a meal together, something we had not been able to do together since before I went to college—and certainly not since I had improved as a home cook. He left the menu selection to me, and being excited by my new home in the South (and to provide something new for my Brooklyn-bred dad), I chose a recipe by my favorite southern chef, Vivian Howard. As my father taught me, seasonality is key and so I opted for a recipe to highlight delicious summer produce and provide a refreshing but hearty dinner—Vivian’s roasted pork chops with watermelon.
It was a simple meal but delectable and fun to make. The watermelons start cubed on top of the meat and through the process shrivel into a stewed-tomato like texture but with the wonderful summer flavor of watermelon. Paired with the perfect wine (my dad’s domain and my next culinary challenge) we had an unforgettable meal, and I was reminded of the power of food as I was immediately transported back to those days more than ten years ago when we would sit on our patio eating cheese and charcuterie, with steaks on the grill.
ENTICING TEAMS BACK TO THE OFFICE
By Great Performances
Thinking about returning to the office doesn’t spark a lot of joy in people. For many people, it’s about TPS reports, grabbing a few bites of a soggy salad or sandwich, possibly meandering over to the coffee station or water cooler to recaffeinate or rehydrate. Maybe exchanging desultory greetings with a passing colleague.
But what if we could transform this, and create more meaningful, engaging encounters around food! We know that people tend to congregate around food. The most popular room in a house is the kitchen! Often during friend and family get togethers, you’ll find people clustered around the kitchen counter, the grill, the beverage table — you get the picture.
We’ve worked with our corporate clients to create these pop up moments around food to help bring more excitement and engagement to the office. Held at different parts of the day, these food activations are specifically designed to bring deliciousness and fun to the work day. Our culinary teams conspire and collaborate with our venue teams and restaurant partners to design carts, stations, and stands that appeal to a wide variety of tastes.
The response we’ve gotten has been fantastic and people look forward to coming in to the office to see what treats we’ve got in store for them the next day.
Check out some of our favorite food popups below and let us know what you’d like to see in your office!
Attended Stations
From attended stations like the Omelet Bar, Thanksgiving Pies Stand, and the Fluff n Fluff Cotton Candy Station we take extra care to ensure our guests enjoy a variety of flavors and experiences. We’ve even got a roving Pretzel Express Cart that can move through the office delivering pretzels with a variety of dipping sauces to each work station.
Buffet Stations
For those looking for grab-and-go food options, we have dozens of experiences for your teams to enjoy! From partnerships with restaurants like Beard Papa’s with their wide variety of cream puffs to our own stations celebrating Peanut Lovers Day and Lobster Roll Day and an Avocado Toast station that’s anything but basic, we’ve got something for everyone!
Want to find out how to bring some of these experiences to your work places? Complete the form below and we’d be delighted to help you out.
FAVORITE OUTDOOR VENUES FOR SUMMER CELEBRATIONS
By Great Performances
As spring blossoms across the city and the days get warmer, we start thinking about outdoor summer events. We’ve rounded up some of our most popular outdoor event venues that give you and your guests spectacular views and the opportunity to interact with nature — both flora and fauna!
From corporate events as companies onboard new team members, welcome summer associates, and host employee family picnics to nonprofit events including fundraising galas and charity functions we have the perfect outdoor venues for groups of all sizes.
We’ve also got venues that are perfect for social events including weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs, and lifecycle celebrations.
Check out the list of our most popular outdoor event venues and schedule some time with a planner today to book your outdoor event!
Central Park Zoo
Escape from the hustle and bustle of the city by staying inside the city! This 6.5-acre tranquil oasis in the heart of Manhattan includes more than 1,400 animals representing more than 130 species from around the world.
Sip cocktails while you watch sea lions folic then stroll through lush gardens before enjoying a meal under a twinkle-light festooned tent. This exotic environment set against a classic NYC backdrop is simply iconic.
Prospect Park Zoo
A hidden gem nestled in Prospect Park on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn is the Prospect Park Zoo. With both indoor and outdoor spaces, it’s an ideal venue for smaller and larger groups of animal lovers.
In the Rotunda, you’ll meet the Hamadryas baboons and marvel at the 6,000-gallon fish tank. You’ll encounter more animals while wandering down the Discovery Trail before arriving at the Barn where animals are fed. The center piece, is the Sea Lion Pool, the perfect backdrop or background for a whimsical wedding ceremony.
Caramoor
Spectacular gardens, woodland trails, and an impressive great house as a centerpiece, Caramoor is home to metropolitan New York’s largest annual outdoor music festival. It’s the perfect venue for those who love music and nature!
With plenty of space for weddings, celebrations, and gatherings of all types, Carmoor has a wide range of facilities available. For nature enthusiasts who want to experience the best of summer outdoors, Caramoor is a must.
Wave Hill
This hidden gem in the Riverdale neighborhood of the Bronx boasts its own microclimate. Stroll along trails in the woods studded with a stunning variety of plants. You’ll always find something blooming at Wave Hill! The Pergola frames views of the Hudson River and the Palisades, providing a romantic backdrop for a wedding. We love the peace and tranquility of the Aquatic Garden, and the Marco Polo Stufano Conservatory is a dreamy location for photos.
For those preferring an indoor event, Armor Hall’s towering cathedral windows create a majestic atmosphere while the wood-paneled Mark Twain Room offers peace and tranquility.
620 Loft & Gardens
Above the bustle of Fifth Avenue is an oasis. A combination city garden and downtown-style loft, 620 Loft & Garden is the perfect midtown location for a memorable event.
Saks Fifth Avenue and Saint Patrick’s Cathedral provide a dramatic backdrop for the landmark garden with flagstone pathways and meticulously manicured gardens.
Dine under the stars while enjoying the twinkling lights of the city from the Penthouse Rooftop Garden or enjoy the views from inside the Loft or combine the best of two worlds in our Tented Garden — 620 Loft & Garden is the perfect way to enjoy the city and celebrate your event.
Ellis Island
Ellis Island offers a once-in-a-lifetime experience with the exclusive use of a National Monument. Explore the museum and take advantage of National Park Service Ranger Tours to round out your visit. You’ll also enjoy breathtaking views of the Statue of Liberty and Manhattan Skyline and you dine under the stars and revel in the magic that is New York City.
Wollman Rink
Ice skating by winter, rollerskating by summer! DiscOasis has rolled into Wollman Rink this summer, making it a groovy spot for skaters of all experience levels!
Whether your looking for a small group outing perfect for team building or large scale event, Wollman Rink rocks!
SPRINGING UP IN NEW VENUES
By Great Performances
It’s been an incredibly busy month for us at Great Performances. From increasing our workplace dining numbers due to workers returning to their offices to the more increasing pace of events as people are more willing to gather and celebrate. But more than that, we’ve opened a number of new venues!
We’re celebrating the re-opening of Café Des Affiches at museum in Chelsea (Poster House), the grand opening of Trinity Café at a venerable institution in Wall Street (Trinity), and the rebirth of our beloved Mae Mae Café, reimaged as a Plant-Based Café + Plant Store.
A huge kudos to our operations and culinary teams for executing such distinctly delicious spaces and making it look so effortless. Read more about each of these venues at the links below!
Check out their poster exhibits and then take some time to relax with a delicious latte and pastry or enjoy a delightful salad with the most refreshing iced tea in the neighborhood!
119 West 23rd Street
New York, NY 10011
Huge windows fill the cafe space with plenty of natural light as you enjoy an innovative coffee (a Honey Rose Latte perhaps?) with the best avocado toast in Wall Street. Or perhaps you’re looking for a salad that’s as beautiful as it is delicious.
Trinity Commons
76 Trinity Place
New York, NY 10006
All things plants at Mae Mae! From a plant-based, Latin-inspired menu to plants waiting to be purchased to green your homes, Mae Mae is back and better than ever!
2417 Third Avenue, Ground Floor
The Bronx, NY 10451
MAE MAE CAFE BLOOMS AGAIN
By Great Performances
After three years, Mae Mae Café is opening at a brand new location with a brand new theme–but with the same company behind the magic.
Located in the Mott Haven section of the South Bronx, Mae Mae reopens with a plant-based theme as Mae Mae Café + Plant Shop. Not only will we sell plants and plant-related goods, the café will feature a plant-based menu. The delicious Latin-inspired menu takes its roots from a project Great Performances participated in with students from the Bronx as part of The Bronx Private Industry Council (The Bronx PIC) initiative at Here-to-Here. Bronx students worked together to come up with ideas for better integrating Great Performances into the Bronx. Among their ideas was creating a food station that incorporated the flavors of the Bronx which has been adapted for the Mae Mae Café menu.
Doubling as a plant store, the café is decorated with a variety of plants that can also be purchased. A potting bench available for use is overseen by Gloria, one of our famous llamas,
Mae Mae Café + Plant Shop
2417 Third Avenue, Ground Floor
The Bronx, NY 10451
CELEBRATING 30 YEARS AT WAVE HILL
By Liz Neumark
1992 was a big year.
It was the year we moved into our new kitchen on the corner of Spring & Hudson in historic the Printing District; a transition that ushered in a period of growth and excitement for GP. Our ground floor lease was $12/square foot. Our new landlord, Trinity Real Estate, welcomed us and it was the beginning of a decades long and deep relationship.
It was the year my second child was born. Katie arrived 2 days after the start of Spring, after about 2 short hours of labor. A young person in a rush. (She hasn’t slowed down since.)
1992 was the year we signed our first exclusive contract with a cultural institution: Wave Hill, New York’s most beautiful, yet least known, botanical garden.
It was a match made in heaven! We fell in love with all 28 acres of historic houses, gardens, scenic pathways, greenhouses and magnificent trees. When thinking about a garden, one imagines it is most beautiful in peak season, fully in bloom surrounded by lush summer greens. We learned to appreciate the exquisite beauty of all four seasons, each so distinctive and unique.
I brought my kids to Wave Hill countless weekends as it became our NYC backyard. Where else could children run around barefoot in the grass or wander off to explore a secret garden or count the koi in the Aquatic Gardens. (I knew the café food would be delicious!) We built snowmen, learned the names of the first flowers of spring, collected leaves, rain under sprinklers and enjoyed the family art projects.
We have been operating the café and catering events on site for 30 years. My love for the gardens and the Wave Hill mission of sustainability, inclusion and education continues to grow as Wave Hill continues to evolve. Although the pandemic shuttered Wave Hill in March 2020, it was one of the first cultural institutions to reopen that summer, welcoming New Yorkers starved for space and nature to its grounds.
It is hard to believe that 30 years have passed since we received the call “We selected you!”. Wave Hill has set the standards by which we conduct our partnerships; with deep mutual respect, never taking relationships for granted, a shared commitment to continued investment and innovation – and a celebration of mission, life and our city.
CELEBRATING THE RE-OPENING OF POSTER HOUSE
We are incredibly excited to celebrate the re-opening of Poster House! We have partnered with Poster House to provide food and hospitality within their unique venue.
An extraordinary venue for design connoisseurs, culture mavens, and everyone who enjoys having fun, Poster House is a hidden gem. Nestled between the art galleries of Chelsea and the dynamic NoMad and Flatiron districts, Poster House captures the energy and sophistication of the city while providing a unique experience for guests of all ages. Original fin-de-siécle cast iron columns and vaulted ceilings mingle with modern architectural finishes and natural materials in our award-winning space to create an inviting, airy ambience. Whether your event will be an intimate gathering, a corporate function, or a milestone celebration, let Poster House provide your guests with an unforgettable experience tailored to your needs and vision. Their event spaces include their signature cafe: Café des Affiches, a Reception Area, Galleries, a Conference Room, and an Education Workshop.
Current and upcoming Exhibitions at Poster House include:
- Ethel Reed: I Am My Own Property (February 25–August 21, 2022)
- The Utopian Avant-Garde: Soviet Film Posters of the 1920s (February 25–August 21, 2022)
- Peter Max: Cosmic Advertising (October 14, 2021–March 27, 2022)
- What’s The Score? The Posters of LeRoy Neiman (September 2, 2021–March 27, 2022)
- Experimental Marriage: Women in Early Hollywood (April 8–October 9, 2022)
Poster House
119 W. 23rd Street,
New York, NY 10011
917.722.2439
www.posterhouse.org
Follow Poster House:
JAMES BEARD FOUNDATION FELLOW: SOFIA MENDOZA
By Georgette Farkas
Sofia set her sights as high as one could in New York City’s restaurant landscape, all the while remaining focused on serving her community and building a nurturing culture in the workplace. After earning a culinary degree at Monroe college, Sofia worked at restaurants including The Modern, Daniel and Eleven Madison Park, in areas including human resources and guest relations. The pandemic’s impact heightened Sofia’s awareness of the Latino community’s invaluable role in hospitality, just as the JBF fellowship training will fuel her goal of creating a Mexican café with a taste of home.
What convinced you to apply for the fellowship?
My dream of opening a café in the future. I was putting it off to focus on my career right now, but when I learned about the program I thought “this is the push I need”. My vision for my café revolves around refined Mexican food. At the same time, my business will work to reduce food insecurity. We may partner with food banks such as City Harvest and collaborate with other restaurants to build support for community needs and make food accessible, especially in emergencies.
What were the most valuable aspect of the program?
In the finance section, I learned how to align my vison for my café with realistic business goals, setting expectations for profitability and the time it could take to become profitable.
With program mentor Valerie Wilson, a Public Relations pro, I learned how to identify my target market and how to incorporate marketing metrics to assure my business is successful. Valerie taught me to build stories that are purposeful and that reflect my business’ unique character.
What did you learn that most surprised you?
How different meal kits are from regular restaurant production. Every aspect of my Beard Box meal kit had to be thought out, from the components of my dishes to the size of the jars, to production and packaging. While working at Great Performances, I learned that just because it comes from a box doesn’t mean you cut corners, you have to be very thoughtful and intentional when it comes to building a meal kit. My menu included handmade tetelas, which are a type of folded and stuffed tortilla. We made two versions, one filled with wild mushrooms and the other filled with Oaxaca cheese and zucchini. They needed to be carefully assembled by hand and in a way that made them easy for customers to heat and eat at home, with all the flavor and texture intact.
How did the program influence the direction of your culinary career and the possibilities you see ahead?
The fellowship allowed me to explore and envision what my café would look like and what recipes I would create for it. It encouraged me to take a deep dive into where I come from, the stories behind my favorite dishes and where I see them in my dream café. I’ll be using flavors from my childhood, such as my guajillo salsa. There will be the colors and spices that I grew up with, using food to bring a piece of my home in Mexico here to my café.
Tell us about the next steps in your career?
My plan is to open my café in seven years. Now I am actively building my business plan, researching concepts, restaurant architecture and locations.
What was your favorite aspect of the fellowship?
Meeting other fellows and learning from them! I loved learning about their journeys and about their experience in the industry. I especially loved when we all got together to cook at Great Performances for the JBF awards box back in August.
What was the most challenging aspect of the fellowship?
On the very same day that I started the fellowship, I also started a new job as a Human Resources Manager at Union Square Hospitality. It was hard to balance both. I had to ask for help and lean on my support system to 1. Get the most out of the program 2. Learn the ropes of my new position 3. And remember to have fun while achieving 1 and 2.
What is the most valuable skill or lesson learned that you will take away from your fellowship?
The most valuable lesson I learned from my fellowship was always hire a real estate attorney before signing a lease. With things constantly changing, you need to make sure you protect your business in ALL aspects.
Recipe: Mexican Hot Chocolate Bavarois with Churro and Piloncillo Crumble
By Sofia Mendoza
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
Bavarois
- 1¼ cups milk
- 175 gr bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- ¼ tsp ground chili pepper
- ¼ tsp ground clove
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 4 egg yolks
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 gelatin sheet
- 1 cup heavy cream
Churro Crumble
- 1 whole churro
- 2 Tbs pilloncilo sugar*
*unprocessed pure cane sugar found mostly in Mexicog
Procedure
In the top of a double boiler over medium heat, combine milk, bittersweet chocolate, chili pepper, clove and cinnamon. Whisk together until chocolate is completely melted.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar and vanilla. Whisk in about a quarter of the chocolate mixture to temper. Whisk egg mixture back into the chocolate mixture. Cook stirring over the double boiler until the mixture thickens just enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from heat and let cool.
Place gelatin sheet in a small mixing bowl with just enough cold water to dissolve. Whisk into chocolate mixture and refrigerate, just long enough to cool, but not long enough to set.
In the meantime, in a mixing bowl, whip heavy cream. Fold whipped cream into chilled chocolate mixture. Transfer to six individual small ramekins or serving bowls and refrigerate to set.
Preheat oven to 350°. Coarsely chop the churro in to pieces small enough to form a crumble mixture. Coarsely chop the piloncillo sugar. Toss the two together on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and toast approximately 20 minutes or until churro pieces are crisp. Remove from oven and let cool. Just before serving, spoon the churro mixture over the set chocolate bavarois to garnish.
We would like to acknowledge CAPITAL ONE as the presenting Sponsor of the James Beard House Fellows Program.