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Featured Event: A Black Tie Celebration and Fundraiser at The Glasshouse

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FEATURED EVENT: A BLACK TIE CELEBRATION AND FUNDRAISER AT THE GLASSHOUSE

By Great Performances

After several years of stops and starts and stops again, we’ve been delighted to fill our days with planning and running events for many of our long-time clients at a variety of venues. This past May, we were especially thrilled to execute an event for a health network who hosted their first inaugural black tie celebration and fundraiser at The Glasshouse, one of the most stunning event spaces in New York City. With almost 1,000 people in attendance, it’s an event that they won’t forget – with foods they’ll crave – for a long time.

Guests’ eyes were delighted at every turn as they took in the scenery of the Manhattan skyline, the Hudson River, and beyond; and as they viewed the delectable food on display on trays being passed by our team, at stations, and at chef showcases.

An objective for the event was to encourage mingling and guest interaction, a trend we’ve been observing for the better part of the year. Many organizations are trying to find ways to reduce the time guests spend locked down at a table, instead looking for ways to get guests moving and mingling. Food and beverage stations spread out across the space provided natural cues to encourage guests to move around, explore the space, and engage with others.

It’s an acknowledged truth that we eat with our eyes first, and we pulled out all the stops for this event, serving a variety of passed hors d’oeuvres, setting up multiple stations across the space, and creating intimate, engaging vignettes with our Atelier Stations. From fun presentations of comfort foods like shrimp and grits and spaghetti and meatballs to decadent delights like foie gras, lobster tails, and truffles, we had something for everyone.

Read on to explore the space and vicariously enjoy our food through photos.

Recently opened in 2021, The Glasshouse is the perfect venue for large, high-end events. Located on 12th Avenue between 48th and 49th Streets, Glasshouse features panoramic views of Manhattan, the Hudson River, and beyond from two event terraces, private terraces off their Green Rooms, and the floor-to-ceiling windows throughout the space. State-of-the-art technology for lighting, audio, and video support all visual and audio effects, including a premium experience for entertainment and private concerts. Additionally, the space has the infrastructure for enhanced installations including video walls, step & repeats, and more.

With 75,000 square feet of space and capacity for 1,850 people, the spaces are configurable to allow for varying room sizes and shapes. Truly, an event planner’s dream.

Learn more about Glasshouse at this link.

Hors d'Oeuvres - Luxurious Bites for all Palates

Cater waiters dressed in black processed throughout the space carrying our custom made Busker Trays containing delicious bites of BBQ Shrimp and Poblano Peppers on a Stone Ground Grit Cake. Our chefs turned homestyle comfort foods like shrimp and grits and the spaghetti and meatballs into eye catching bites; created vegan and gluten free hors d’oeuvres like our Habanero Smoked Tofu Tacos on Watermelon Radish Bites that were anything but bland; and created fun plays on dishes like our twist on a classic PBJ with Hudson Valley Foie Gras, Pistachio Butter, and Sour Cherry Preserves and our Duck Rillette Fritter with Cranberry Port Jam on a Rosemary Skewer.

Bright bold flavors, comfort food made luxurious, and decadent bites that hit every taste bad came with enough variety to satisfy a variety of dietary preferences from vegan to gluten free to keto.

Stations - Global Flavors

Strategically spaced throughout the venue, our themed stations captured global flavors and featured regional favorites with a Great Performances twist.

Our Carving Station featured an assortment of carved-to-order meats with accompanying sauces and sides

  • 32oz Bone-In Ribeye with a trio of sauces: Bordelaise, Chimichurri, Horseradish Cream
  • Roast Duck Breast Lapérouse with Gruyère and Mustard
  • Foie Gras Terrine with Pomegranate Gelée, Pistachio Crumble
  • Classic Pommes Duchesse
  • Broccoli Rabe with Lemon, Garlic, Pine Nuts

Our Pinxtos Station featured flavors of Northern Spain and the Basque region

  • Basque Chicken with Tri Colored Peppers, Onions
  • Tortilla Española
  • Aged Manchego and Mushroom Brochettes
  • Wild Cèpes with Cured Quail Yolks
  • Croquetas de Bacalao
  • Hand Carved Jamón
  • Hearts of Palm Salad

Our Seafood Station brought delicacies from the seas and oceans prepared in a variety of styles

  • Crab Salad with Pomelo, Mint
  • Lightly Cured Arctic Char with Olive Oil Poached Peppers, Anchovy
  • Colossal Shrimp with Lemon-Tarragon Aioli and Horseradish and Smoked Tomato Cocktail Sauce
  • Chilled Lobster Tail
  • West Coast Oysters (Fanny Bay, Kumamoto, Big Cove) with Mignonette
  • Young Coconut Aguachile with Avocado, Lime, Cilantro

Tuscan Station transported us to the sun-soaked hill towns of Italy

  • Sage-Stuffed Veal Breast Roulade – Braised Gigante Beans
  • Ricotta Stuffed Ravioli – Morels, Sweet Peas, Parmesan
  • Cavatelli Primavera – Fiore di Sardo Fondutti
  • Grilled Asparagus – Ricotta Salata, Lemon, Basil
  • Eggplant Milanese – Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
  • Roasted Sweet Yellow Peppers – Black Olive, Yellow Raisins, Capers, Anchovy
  • Baguette Spike

Atelier Stations - Showcasing Chefs' Magic

We featured four showcase stations – our Atelier Stations – that allowed our chefs to create made-to-order luxurious dishes. Our chefs demonstrated their great skill, precision, and attention to detail as they crafted their dishes.

  • Japanese Turnips, Eryngii, Matsutake, Trumpet Mushrooms, Black Truffle, Smoked Dashi, Broth
  • Red Snapper Leche de Tigre Ceviche
  • Fresh Cut Toro, Caviar, Yuzu Pearls, Gold Leaf
  • Seared 45-Day Dry-Aged Kobe Sirloin, Japanese Uni and Shiitake Summer Roll (Madeira Gastrique, Oyster Sauce, Chive Purée)

Sweet Finish - Desserts that Captured the Imaginations and Hearts

And of course, what meal is complete without a Dessert Station that offered sweet and savory treats

  • Golden Pistachio Praline Chocolate Truffle on a Gold Lollipop Stick
  • Three-Layer Panna Cotta with Coconut Cream, Passion Fruit, Blackberry
  • Espresso Boca Negra Cake
  • Buckwheat Sable Raspberry Chantilly Creamwich
  • Chocolate & Cheese Board

We also invited a few of our favorite partners to join us and share their specialty desserts: La Newyorkina with their famous paletitas and Fluff n Fluff with their playful and dramatic cotton candy.