Linda Abbey arrived in New York City with her sights set on Broadway.  When she met food visionary Liz Neumark, her life took a different turn.

Barnard graduate Neumark was working as a booker at a temp agency when the idea was sparked to start a waitress staffing agency of her own.  Launched as Great Performances , Artists as Waitresses Inc., — a name they still maintain officially to pay homage to their origins –- the initial focus on offering a flexible source of income for women in the arts was critical.

Says Abbey: “In the early 80s, in high-end catering and food service you’d see men on the floor, not women.”  And everyone pitched in. “I was one of the original waitresses — we all waitressed,” says Abbey.  “It was really never meant to be a career. It was meant to pay the rent, for pin money.  The job was meant to be support while we were all doing other things: acting, writing plays, sculpting, dancing, painting.”  But as the simple yet innovative idea took hold, the company grew.  Rapidly.

Today, Great Performances is a full-service catering company — one of the most cutting-edge in the country.  As a result, the company now maintains staff numbers in the hundreds and is inclusive of all genders. They’re the go-to for everything from private weddings to corporate to nonprofit events; they partner with premier cultural venues as the Apollo Theater and the Brooklyn Museum (as well as Glasshouses venues, The Glasshouse and Glasshouse Chelsea ).

Linda Abbey, the executive vice president and lead planner, has distinguished her years at the company by planning events for everyone who is anyone.  She is legendary for her attention to detail, extensive connections, and the know-how to make things happen.  If Linda plans your event, you’ll be extremely fortunate to rest easy knowing you’re in some of the best hands in the business.

The company distinguishes itself in another big way: by being a leader in seasonal, sustainable, and plant- forward eating, which they showcase through social media, their blog The Dish and of course, on the plate.

“I think a lot of companies throw the words around: local, sustainable, organic,” says Abbey. “You know, what do they really mean? But we can say that we had this philosophy before it became ‘on trend’.”

Not only did Great Performances have the philosophy, they acted upon it and bought a farm. With the idyllic Katchkie Farm in upstate New York, Great Performances became the first caterers to own and operate a NOFA-certified organic farm.

The 60 acres of pristine land house 9,000 square feet of greenhouses and serves as an inspiration and resource for Great Perfromances’ seasonal menu. Katchkie Farm is also home to The Sylvia Center , created by Liz Neumark in 2007.  The center inspires young people and their families to establish healthy eating habits through farm visits and cooking workshops.  There’s even a cookbook:  Sylvia’s Table: Fresh,  Seasonal Recipes from Our Farm to Your Family.

Neumark’s food advocacy today extends beyond her own company to organizations including Just Food, GrowNYC, New York State Council on Food Policy, West Side Campaign Against Hunger, City Harvest, and the Food and Finance High School.  Additionally, her business savvy has been lauded by Crain’s New York and was recognized on Her Big Idea as a female entrepreneur who transformed a simple concept into a thriving business.

Great Performances launched Great Performances’ Artist Fellowship Award in 1986, open to qualifying members of their catering staff.  The award provides $5,000 fellowships, allowing the winners to pursue a personal creative project.

“We’ve had sculptors, photographers, singers, dancers,” said Abbey. “And let’s face it, who’s on the front line? Those people are out there representing us.”

Winners in 2019 included a photographer who will use his funds to set up a darkroom, an audio engineer developing a therapeutic sound installation from the recordings of cats purring, a prep cook developing a healthy eating and dance therapy program for children in shelters, and an actor and writer creating a comedic microfilm about one woman’s pursuit of the perfect pie. Which if you ask us, is already a hit.

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