Liz Neumark

Background

About Liz Neumark

As CEO of Great Performances, Zagat’s top rated catering company, Liz Neumark is driven by a desire to put seasonal and flavorful food on the plates of all New Yorkers. Liz founded Great Performances in 1980 as a staffing service for women and the arts. Liz pioneered the company’s venue relationships, beginning with Wave Hill in 1993. Now, she guides the exclusive relationships with leading cultural institutions including Jazz at Lincoln Center, Brooklyn Academy of Music and Apollo Theater. In 2007, Liz entered a joint venture to manage and operate The Plaza Hotel events. Liz’s passion for local food is demonstrated by Great Performances’ commitment to sourcing ingredients from Katchkie Farm in Columbia County, NY. Liz fell for the 60 untouched acres back in 2006, and worked with her team to transform it. Now, the organic farm supplies produce for the most robust workplace CSA program in Manhattan. Katchkie is home to The Sylvia Center, an educational nonprofit that Liz launched and now supports. The Sylvia Center is a garden-to-table culinary program that teaches children to cook and eat well, both at Katchkie and in community centers throughout New York City. Liz serves on the boards of The Sylvia Center, GrowNYC, and Just Food. She is the Vice President of the Women’s Forum. She remains active in the Governor’s Food Policy Council, West Side Campaign Against Hunger, Hudson Square Business Improvement District, member of The Committee of 200 (C200), and her alma mater, Barnard College. She has been awarded accolades from Forbes, Crains, BizBash, Food Arts, Ernst & Young, and more. In 2013, Liz published her first cookbook, Sylvia’s Table, published by Knopf. The book is filled with stories, luscious food facts, and tips for confidently engaging children in the kitchen. With over 200 recipes and Liz’s own photographs, Sylvia’s Table represents the blend of her NYC catering universe and her personal world of cooking.