By Great Performances

Not a weekend goes by that there isn’t a food festival of some sort being held in New York City. People love them – and for good reason! It’s a great way to explore the breadth and depth of food available. From general food festivals like the New York Times Food Festival which celebrate a variety of food styles or food specific festivals like the Big Apple Barbeque, you can find a festival that incorporates any food or cuisine.
We’re all familiar with the customer experience at a food festival: purchase a ticket, show up, visit each booth or stall to enjoy delectable dishes and leave feeling full and happy with new favorite dishes. But what happens behind the scenes to make these events so successful and enjoyable? At Great Performances, we’ve been helping create memorable food festivals and special events for years, most recently working behind-the-scenes (and in front!) at the New York Times Food Festival and the New York City Wine and Food Festival. We act as an invisible hand, creating an environment in which sponsors, restaurants and chefs can represent their brands in a manner they know best represents them, regardless of the nature of the venue or the number of attendees. Whether it’s 200 or 2000, in a park or on a pier, we make interactive, memorable experiences possible.
New York Times Food Festival, October 5 – 6

Great Performances partnered with Empire Entertainment for the first New York Times Food Festival to support the 24 New York City restaurants selected by New York Times editors to participate in the event. We provided our expertise and manpower in creating 24 pop-up kitchens for the participating restaurants and set up a workshop pavilion and the cooking demonstration stage.

At the workshop pavilion, chefs held classes and demonstrations for small groups with the support of GP staff, equipment, food and/or beverages. On the demo stage, we provided ingredients, prepped and portioned according to chef requirements. And it was GP staff working alongside Empire staff that ensured expedient and seamless transition between each event.

Not all of our work was done behind-the-scenes. We set up and operated the bars, curating offerings to augment those provided by sponsor Diageo and selected by Eric Asimov, the New York Times’ wine editor. Finally, we directed the production of the 20-foot “ribbon” of pasta that Mayor Bill de Blasio cut to signal the opening of the festival.
New York City Wine and Food Festival, October 13 – 20
We were involved with the hands-on production almost 20 events. Our participation varied based on client need. For Schmaltzy, we provided food, staff, general set-up, logistics and support; at the Drag Brunch, our Design Team was responsible for much of the evocative décor; at the Italian Sunday Supper presented by Peroni and hosted by celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis we provided kitchen space and assistance to her chef team; at Rocktails presented by Maker’s 46® and hosted by celebrity chef Robert Irvine, we provided bar service and prepared Chef Irvine’s recipe. For other events, we provided staff that kept the event flowing and enabled a positive guest experience.
All told, GP’s role represented more than 3000 culinary and logistics man hours and 500 staff during the course of the festival.
One of the most important things we do for NYCWFF, albeit seemingly mundane, is help with compliance for the out-of-town chefs. It’s also one of the most difficult things we do for the festival. The DOH has increased enforcement over the past few events, challenging enough for local chefs and restaurants to navigate, but almost impossible for out-of-town chefs / restaurants and brands. We ensure they all have the right permits and we provide staff with required food handlers licenses if needed. We actually communicate directly with DOH, reviewing the events to make sure everything is fully compliant.




By Great Performances
Plant-based foods have been gaining momentum lately, especially in the fast food world. It’s not surprising as these venues are more accessible points for consumers to interact with plant-based foods, particularly those who may have reservations about going meatless. At Great Performances, we’re delighted to see plant-based foods becoming more mainstream. It’s a lifestyle we’ve advocated for decades now and spans Katchkie Farm, our NOFA-certified organic farm in upstate New York which serves as the inspiration for many of our dishes and to our adoption of Meatless Monday for our family meals.

Vegan Demi-Glace Ingredients; Photo Credit: ©Chip Klose
This past year, our chefs have been innovating in the kitchen and have developed a vegan demi-glace which is not only 100% plant-based, but in sync with our mission of sustainability, reducing food waste, and lowering our carbon footprint. Made from vegetable trimmings, including carrot tops, onion roots and radish scraps, they’re cleaned, roasted and simmered into an umami-rich, mouth-wateringly delicious sauce that complements many of our dishes—vegan and otherwise. A traditional demi-glace is made with veal stock, which has myriad implications. Our vegan demi-glace is ethical, sustainable and delicious.

Our Chefs share their inspiration Behind the vegan demi-glace:
As chefs, many practices are rooted deeply in tradition–beautiful traditions that create beautiful food–and the veal demi-glace is undoubtedly one. And while tradition is great, here at Great Performances, we wield a responsibility to act not only because our impact is so profound, but because when we act, others follow.
With the strong culinary technique brought in by Chef Thomas Alford, if you have the ability to take a beautiful culinary tradition and re-imagine it to create a brighter future–while still making mouth-watering food–you do it!
Justin Schwartz, Executive Sous Chef, Catering Production
Here at Great Performances, we have access to many farmers, including our own at Katchkie Farm, who provide us with beautiful produce day in and day out. Within our high volume operation, we naturally produce a lot of waste, so instead of simply disposing of the waste, we take full advantage of our abundance and incorporate that into our menus. We utilize everything, employing expert practices and techniques, from mushroom stems to onion peel—even the ends and seeds of vegetables that are typically thrown away.
I took it upon myself, with the help of the GP production team, to collect as many vegetable scraps as possible to create something that exemplifies the love and diligent efforts of the workers from the farms and delivers it to the tastebuds and stomachs of our clients. From there, the vegan demi-glace was developed; it started in the depths of our earth where we are all from. We at Great Performances work hard to protect it, and it tastes so good!
Thomas Alford, Sous Chef
By Chef Saul Bolton

When cooking at home, we often are more focused on the process and getting the food out in time than on the final presentation. Great Performances’ chef and Michelin-star winner Saul Bolton shares his tips for beautiful presentation.
1. Choose your plates. Before you even begin to cook, make sure you have the plates you’ll need on hand. Consider form, function, color and size. Make sure the plates are clean and ready to use. 
2. Keep your work area clean. A clean area promotes clean plating. Make sure you clean your work area and you organize your prepared ingredients prior to plating.

3. Less is more. If it doesn’t fit, don’t force it. Choose a dish that will allow for a ½-inch border between the food and the plate. You want your plate to look full, but not overflowing. The white space will help frame your food.

4. Let your ingredients shine. Make sure not to cover up important ingredients; everything should be seen, even if it’s just peeking out.

5. Shoot for natural symmetry. Your dishes shouldn’t be overly precise and symmetrical. You want order, but natural order

6. Consider dimension. Try adding some extra height to your food by twirling pasta or zoodles so they mound in the plate. Allow foods to rest on each other, such as resting a piece of fish on some greens or on a root vegetable puree.

7. Invest in tools. Adding textures and shapes by using graters, zesters and squeeze bottles provide extra touches that can elevate the appearance of a dish.

8. Garnish wisely. Garnishes can add extra color and texture. Drizzles of oil, dollops of purees and circles of sauces add visual interest to a dish.

9. Clean again. Wipe your plates and serve. Your guests are sure to appreciate your efforts!

Image Credits: ©Georgi Richardson, ©Chip Klose, ©Amanda Gentile, ©Ben Hider
By Great Performances
Stargazing, live-music and a multi-Sensory Food Experience are Just some of the Exciting things Taking Place at Our Partner Venues this Month.
Apollo Theater

Photo: ©Apollo Theater
Apollo Uptown Hall: Harlem’s Culture – Past. Present. Future.
Thursday, August 15 at 7:00 pm
This Harlem Week edition of Apollo Uptown Hall gathers thought leaders from some of Harlem’s most influential arts organizations to celebrate milestone anniversaries in the arts community and discuss what role these cultural organizations will play in either preserving traditions or advancing change. Enjoy a live performance by the Marching Cobras Drumline and Danceline and sounds by Kool DJ Red Alert. RSVP for your free tickets here.
Brooklyn Academy of music
R&B Festival at MetroTech 2019

Photo: ©BAM
Third World
Thursday, August 8 at 12:00 pm
Longstanding reggae-fusion band Third World celebrates 45 years of sharing their music with the world. Mixing elements everything from R&B, funk, and pop, to rock, dancehall, and rap, Third World’s unique sound and uplifting spirit has earned them fans across the globe, and they’ve toured alongside musical legends including Bob Marley, Stevie Wonder and Santana. Learn more here.

Photo: ©BAM
Van Hunt / &More (Chill Moody & Donn T)
Thursday, August 15 at 12:00 pm
The Grammy-nominated Hunt brings his charisma, crafty songwriting and engaging live performance to the MetroTech stage. Donn T, Questlove’s sister, and rapper Chill Moody, who come together in the new hip-hop and R&B collective &More open. Learn more here.
Brooklyn Museum

Photo: ©Brooklyn Museum
Pierre Cardin: Future Fashion
July 20, 2019 – January 5, 2020
Pierre Cardin: Future Fashion is the first New York retrospective in forty years to focus on the legendary couturier. Drawn primarily from Pierre Cardin’s archive, the exhibition traverses the designer’s decades-long career at the forefront of fashion invention.
Stop by The Norm at Brooklyn Museum before (or after) the exhibit for Maxim’s at The Norm, an homage to Pierre Cardin’s restaurant, Maxim’s de Paris. The menu features classic dishes from the Maxim’s de Paris cookbook and seasonal dishes inspired by the iconic restaurant.

Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra. (Photo: Susan and Loren Abdulezer)
Pop-Up Performance: Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra
Sunday, August 18 from 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Drop by Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra’s new series of intimate pop-up performances, highlighting members and featured musicians as the Orchestra in Residence activates our Beaux-Arts Court with a family-friendly range of classical music from across the globe. Learn more here.

Photo: ©Johnny Romanek
Celebration: Happy Birthday, Marsha!
Thursday, August 22 from 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Celebrate the life and legacy of activist Marsha P. Johnson with screenings of Happy Birthday, Marsha! (Sasha Wortzel and Tourmaline, 2018, 14 min.) and Pay It No Mind: The Life and Times of Marsha P. Johnson (Michael Kasino, 2012, 54 min.). Afterwards, enjoy a champagne toast and cake to commemorate her 73rd birthday. Learn more here.
Dizzy’s

Photo: ©Dizzy’s Club
Sounds for Sculpture: Christian Tamburr Septet with special guest Clint Holmes
Friday, August 16 at 7:30 pm
Vibraphonist, bandleader and composer Christian Tamburr returns to Dizzy’s Club for the world premiere of his latest original project—a musical soundtrack to the works of famed sculptor Seward Johnson. Learn more here.

Photo: ©Dizzy’s Club
Trio da Paz and Friends, with Maucha Adnet, Harry Allen and Claudio Roditi
Saturday, August 24 at 7:30 pm
Keeping an unprecedented streak alive for the 12th consecutive year, Trio da Paz comes to Dizzy’s Club for a two-week summer residency. Formed in 1990 by three of Brazil’s most in-demand master musicians, Romero Lubambo, Nilson Matta and Duduka da Fonseca, Trio da Paz updates the infectious spirit of jazz-oriented Brazilian music. Learn more here.
Signature Theatre

Photo: ©Signature Theatre
Happy Hour
Tuesday, August 13 from 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Signature Theatre is excited to host a happy hour for theatre industry assistants on Tuesday, August 13th from 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm at the Signature Café + Bar. Discounted food and drinks will be available as well as the chance to enter your name in a special raffle. RSVP today.
Wave Hill

Photo: ©Wave Hill
Sunset Wednesday: Bronx SalsaFest – Chino Pons and Grupo Irék
Wednesday, August 7 at 7:00 pm
One of New York City’s quintessential Salsa groups, Chino Pons and Grupo Irék, launches SalsaFest at Wave Hill. Learn more here.
Twilight in the Garden thursdays
(Explore the garden through a customized nature program or experience the gardens through sound)

Photo: ©Wave Hill
Sonic Experience – DJ Lightbolt Global Stereotype
Thursday, August 8 at 7:00 pm
Global Stereotype is a sonic journey of Outernational music. Multi-instrumentalist with a global headset DJ Lightbolt mashes up sounds from both hemispheres and all manner of contemporary fusion. Learn more here.

Photo: ©Wave Hill
Full-Moon Nature Walk
Thursday, August 15 at 8:00 pm
Traverse Wave Hill’s garden and woodland paths under the light of the “Sturgeon Moon,” the last full moon of summer. Expert naturalist Mike Feller leads this after-hours adventure along woodland edges and pocket meadows where fireflies, moths and other insects rendezvous for some evening revelry. Learn more here.

Photo: ©Wave Hill
Stargazing in the Garden
Thursday, August 22 from 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm
Prepare for an out-of-this-world experience with Irene Pease and a team of sidewalk astronomers. Learn what it takes to be an amateur astronomer in New York City, get oriented to the night sky, test out a telescope in the garden and observe the starry night high above Wave Hill. Learn more here.
By Chef David Heredia

Squash blossoms bring back memories from twenty to twenty-five years ago, when I was sent to live with my paternal great grandfather in Xochihuehuetlan, Guerrero (south-western Mexico).
He had a huge field of corn—at least, that’s how it seemed to me back then. It was my first pizca, or corn harvesting, with a bunch of cousins, uncles and family members I never knew I had.
After such a long day, my great grandmother began to wash these yellow-orange squash flowers she had picked in the fields, preparing them for dinner along with huitlacoche (corn smut fungus). The aunts were busy making hand-made tortillas, surrounded the clay stove, talking and laughing as they prepared quesadillas with string cheese and either the bright, delicate squash flowers or the pungent, earthy huitlachoche. I didn’t get to see the whole process because this was the domain of the women of the house—or as I remember, the gossip circle.
With the tables set up, I finally got a chance to try these delicacies. I’m not sure if it was the lingering smell of the burning wood or the muskiness from the huitlacoche, or perhaps the tiredness of being outside under the scorching hot sun or that I was just starving, but the squash blossom quesadillas were just heavenly. It’s perhaps the best thing I have ever tasted and a fitting reward for a long day of work
My great grandparents are gone and although I never had the chance to get the recipe from them, I’ve attempted to recreate the dish as I can remember.
Squash blossoms remind me of the family working together and the indelible memory of all the women gathered around the stove cooking for everyone and the house full of chatter and laughter.
With a busy life in New York City, this priceless memory transports me to earlier days and is a reminder of a distant and simple, yet fulfilling, past.
Try Chef David’s delicious Quesadilla de Flor de Calabazas recipe here.










