Great Performances grows from Bronx headquarters while giving back to the community
From elaborate galas at The Plaza Hotel to performances at Lincoln Center and the Apollo Theater, much of the work behind Great Performances begins inside its headquarters in Mott Haven.
More Stories
From elaborate galas at The Plaza Hotel to performances at Lincoln Center and the Apollo Theater, much of the work behind Great Performances begins inside its headquarters in Mott Haven.
The catering company, founded in 1980 by Liz Neumark, has grown from a small waitress service into a company with about 1,200 employees serving events across New York City.
Neumark said she originally created the business to provide flexible work opportunities for women in the arts at a time when hospitality was largely male-dominated.
"Hospitality was just one of those industries and there weren't really opportunities for women," Neumark said. "I wanted to be a photographer and needed to find work."
Today, much of the company's food preparation takes place in the Bronx facility, while some ingredients come from the company's 60-acre organic farm upstate.
Great Performances also partners with Hot Bread Kitchen, which uses part of the company's kitchen space to train students pursuing culinary careers. The program helps participants gain culinary skills, professional support and industry connections, and some graduates have gone on to work at Great Performances.
Neumark said the company also works to support the surrounding community. Great Performances donates fresh vegetables each week to a pantry operated by the nearby Dream School to help local families.
To learn more https://greatperformances.com
