Our Story

Great Performances is a mission-driven hospitality company where food, values, and flawless execution are inseparable. Our mission is to Unleash Joy Through Genuine Hospitality: creating experiences that feel welcoming, thoughtful, and deeply human, delivered with consistency and care.

Founded in 1980 as a staffing service created to support women working in the arts, GP was built on the belief that hospitality is a craft, one that requires preparation, collaboration, and respect for the people behind the work. That belief remains central to who we are today.

What has evolved is our scale and scope. Over more than four decades, Great Performances has grown from staffing into full-service catering, events, and long-term hospitality partnerships across New York City. We are trusted by cultural institutions, organizations, and hosts who rely on us for outstanding food, operational excellence, and dependable execution in complex environments.

We are proudly independent and woman-led. We are not for everyone, and we know that. But for those who value deliciousness, reliability, sustainability, and long-term partnership, Great Performances is best in class.

Chef finishing a plated entrée with sauce in a refined presentation setting

How It Began

Great Performances was founded in 1980 as a waitress service created to support women working in the arts. From the outset, the company approached hospitality as skilled, professional work shaped by preparation, timing, and collaboration.

That early staffing model established standards that continue to guide GP today: professionalism, accountability, and trust. These principles created teams that are well-prepared, dependable, and capable of performing under pressure.

A defining moment in the company’s evolution came more than 30 years ago with our first cultural partnership at Wave Hill. That relationship marked GP’s transition from staffing to full-scale hospitality partner and became the blueprint for the cultural, civic, and long-term partnerships that define our work today.

Archival photo of early Great Performances / Artists as Waitresses

Our Food Philosophy

Food is at the center of everything we do.

Our approach is ingredient-driven and season-led, grounded in technique, integrity, and respect for how food is grown, prepared, and shared. Menus reflect contemporary American cuisine and global foodways, with a proudly plant-forward perspective and a focus on thoughtful sourcing and waste reduction.

A cornerstone of this philosophy is Katchkie Farm, our 60-acre organic farm in Kinderhook, NY. During the growing season, up to 30% of the produce used in our kitchens comes directly from the farm, shaping menus across our work.

Seasonal first course plated with vegetables and purée

Doing Good Through Food

Community impact at Great Performances is not a side initiative. It is part of how we operate every day.

We support organizations working at the intersection of food access, education, culture, and community resilience, contributing culinary expertise, operational support, and resources where they are most needed. Long-standing partners include The Sylvia Center, City Harvest, the Department for the Aging (DFTA), and numerous food pantries and community-based organizations across New York City.

Great Performances has also mobilized food and hospitality resources during times of crisis, providing emergency meals and operational support in response to 9/11, Hurricane Sandy, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Our approach is grounded in dignity, nourishment, and reliability.

We also integrate food rescue, composting, and waste reduction into daily operations, ensuring surplus food is redirected to communities rather than landfills whenever possible.

Culinary team preparing food in production kitchen

Our Home: The Bronx

Great Performances has been headquartered in the South Bronx since 2019, where our kitchens, operations, and leadership teams are based.

The move reflected the company’s growth and the need for a facility designed to support complex, high-volume hospitality work. Today, this headquarters is where menus are developed, systems are refined, and the coordination behind our events and long-term partnerships takes shape.

Being based in the Bronx connects us to a borough defined by creativity, resilience, and cultural depth, and reinforces the care and accountability we bring to the city we serve.

Exterior of Great Performances headquarters with mural artwork by Scratch

40 + 4 Years

With more than four decades of experience, Great Performances brings the confidence that comes from having done the work at every scale and in every setting. We are large enough to execute complex, citywide events and long-term hospitality programs, and focused enough to remain hands-on and accountable.

We bring the same standards to a café lunch as we do to a gala for thousands. Longevity at GP is not about standing still; it’s about evolving with intention, investing in people and systems, and continually refining how we deliver.

Great Performances leaders receiving official proclamation

Our People

Hospitality is ensemble work. Every event, café, and partnership is the result of many skilled professionals working in coordination: chefs, farmers, service teams, designers, logisticians, and administrators.

Great Performances was founded to provide reliable, professional event staffing while offering flexible work to individuals who could not always find traditional employment schedules. That practical foundation shaped a culture built on preparation, accountability, and trust.

Many members of our team are working artists alongside career hospitality professionals. What unites everyone is a shared passion for hospitality and service, and a commitment to doing the work well, supporting one another, and delivering consistently high standards. We invest in training, mentorship, and advancement, and we value continuity across roles and careers.