THE GREAT NOSH Returns to NYC This June with a Picnic Celebration on 6/21
The one-day summer picnic has top restaurants, chef collaborations, immersive art and unexpected Jew-ish cultural connections
After the incredible response to last year’s inaugural event, The Great Nosh – a one-day ultimate summer picnic, packed with NYC’s best restaurants, exclusive chef collabs, immersive art, unexpected Jew-ish cultural connections, and sunshine – will return to Governors Island on Sunday, June 21st.
Presented by Jewish Food Society, the nonprofit dedicated to preserving and celebrating Jewish culinary heritage, The Great Nosh invites attendees of all communities and heritages to experience the dynamic, diverse, and joyful expression of NYC’s food culture. Set against the iconic backdrop of the New York Harbor and the nearby Statue of Liberty, the picnic-style festival will feature one-of-a-kind chef collaborations, interactive arts-and-crafts experiences, live music, a natural wine and spritz bar, and more, bringing together chefs, and cultural creatives, for a day of incredible food and meaningful storytelling.
“As we head into the second year of The Great Nosh, it’s incredible to see how this gathering has resonated with New Yorkers,” said Naama Shefi, the visionary behind The Great Nosh and founder of Jewish Food Society. “What began as an idea to celebrate Jewish food and the contribution it has made to the fabric of New York City, has become an opportunity for chefs, artists, and communities of all backgrounds to come together.”
Some of the industry’s most exciting chefs and culinary talents will come together for once-in-a-lifetime collaborations created exclusively for the festival. Collabs include:
-Katz’s Deli and Santo Taco
-Dhamaka and Moonrise Bagels
-Kabawa and GERTIE
-Sailor and K’Far
-Russ & Daughters and Bonnie’s
-Sushi Noz and Malka
-Zabar’s and Van Leeuwen
-Ops and Honey & Co.
-Bartolo and Monday Diner
-Hamburger America and Breads Bakery
-Café Carmellini and La Boîte
-Natoora and Alimentari Flâneur
-Hani’s and cookbook author Jake Cohen
-NARO and Thea
Each collaboration offers a unique dish that celebrates creativity, culture, and the spirit of the city’s food community for a menu of dishes such as Bonnie's x Russ & Daughters serving steamed turnip cakes with everything bagel seasoning and smoked salmon; NARO x Thea Bakery with a Korean fried chicken sandwich on challah; Santo Taco x Katz's Deli combining Katz’s iconic pastrami, pickles escabeche, habanero, and avocado salsa on an heirloom corn tortilla.
Beverage offerings include a natural wine bar by The Four Horsemen, an Italian spritz bar by i Cavallini, tahini iced coffee from Think Coffee x Soom, Masha Tea, and more.
The Grandmas Tent, hosted by Emmy Award winning Top Chef host and judge Gail Simmons and James Beard Award winning TV host Pat Jinich, will feature live, storytelling-driven demos with inter-generational pairs of cooks, such as Arielle Nir and her mother Michal, Dana and Amalia Schneider, Trina and Jessica Quinn, and more. Each pair will demonstrate traditional family recipes from around the Jewish diaspora, including Hungarian palascinta, Moroccan pastilla, Ukrainian piroshki, and Yemenite jachnun.
Beyond the culinary programming, The Great Nosh will offer additional interactive programming across the picnic grounds. Guests can tap into playful summer nostalgia at Susan Alexandra’s beading workshop, create flower crowns with Mulberry Florals x Lady Bird Floral, and become their own artists in a painting studio created by The Jewish Museum. Adding to the atmosphere, live music from Havurah will provide a vibrant soundtrack, inviting guests to let loose in a larger-than-life dance party.
Each guest receives a bespoke picnic blanket and a stylish picnic tote.
The Great Nosh will take place on Sunday, June 21st, 2026, on Governors Island. Tickets ($36) will go on sale on May 13th at 9AM via thegreatnosh.com. Guests are encouraged to visit the festival’s website and follow along on Instagram for updates on participating vendors and additional programming announcements as the event approaches.
Photo Credit: Jason Rivera
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