Liz Neumark
Founder & CEO, Great Performances
Liz Neumark is the CEO and founder of Great Performances, a premier catering company in New York. She started the company in 1980 to provide women in the arts an opportunity to earn a living while pursuing their creative dreams. Over the years, Great Performances has become one of the nation’s leading catering firms, known for culinary excellence, impeccable service, and a commitment to sustainability and social responsibility.
In 1982, Liz opened a dedicated location in Soho, which marked the beginning of the company’s expansion. Great Performances then secured its first exclusive catering contract with Wave Hill Public Gardens in the Bronx and has since partnered with numerous cultural institutions, including the Apollo Theater, Jazz at Lincoln Center and Brooklyn Museum.
Liz is a prominent activist in the food industry, engaging in initiatives such as food rescue, anti-hunger efforts, healthy food access, and local agriculture. In 2006, she established Katchkie Farm, the first organic farm owned by a catering company, which supplies fresh produce to the kitchens of Great Performances and offers a CSA each summer. Katchkie is also home to the Sylvia Center, a nonprofit she founded to address children’s health.
Liz is an active board member of several organizations, including GrowNYC, the Fund for Public Housing, NYC Tourism + Conventions and is the Board Vice President of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce.
In recent years, she moved Great Performances to Mott Haven in the South Bronx, tripling its space and contributing to local economic development. The company's public café, Mae Mae Café, was reopened as a vegan restaurant.
A third-generation Manhattanite, Liz studied Urban Studies and Political Science at Barnard College. She is also an accomplished photographer and author of "Sylvia’s Table," a cookbook promoting seasonal cooking. Liz’s contributions to the food industry and her community have earned her numerous accolades, including recognition from Crain’s, City & State NY, and Barnard College. Through her leadership and commitment to community, sustainability, and New York, Liz Neumark continues to make a lasting impact on the food industry and beyond.
