This is Why You Should Watch NYC Sanitation’s Cooking Show

The cooking show, Feeding NYC, aims to raise awareness of the city’s efforts to feed hungry New Yorkers throughout the COVID-19 crisis.

By Katelin Walling May 19, 2020

In an effort to help New Yorkers avoid too much food waste, the NYC Department of Sanitation recently launched a cooking show on its YouTube channel. Feeding NYC (also the name of the cooking show) “is the City’s plan to feed hungry New Yorkers throughout the COVID-19 crisis and protect the security of our food supply chain led by NYC Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia,” NYC Sanitation writes on its YouTube channel.

The department goes on to say that although the food supply chain is strong, it’s changing to adapt to the current situation, which may lead us to be more creative (out of necessity) when it comes to making meals for our families. Not sure you’re a creative home chef? Not to worry: Each episode of Feeding NYC features a different NYC chef sharing one of their favorite recipes. And the best part? All of the recipes are kid-friendly!

There are currently four episodes on YouTube, and we have our fingers crossed that more will be published soon (we couldn’t find information about whether more videos will be added)!

In the first episode, Deb Perelman, of SmittenKitchen.com, shares her super-kid-friendly, easy recipe for cheesy broccoli toast. You’ll need frozen broccoli, olive oil, garlic, salt, mild red pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, parmesan, bread, and sliced cheese.

The second episode is all about cooking with food scraps. Brooklyn chef and wellness advocate Sophia Roe shares tips for using every last bit of food, including making your own vegetable stock, freezing leafy greens, and using leftover pickle brine.

The third episode features Chef Mike Anthony from Gramercy Tavern, along with his daughter, making a recipe that can use local ingredients: potato salad with a homemade mayonnaise. You’ll need potatoes, onions, garlic, an egg yolk, mustard, salt, pepper, oil, lime or lemon, and vinegar.

In the fourth episode, you’ll learn about cooking with items from your pantry by making olive oil brownie cookies with Jake Cohen of feedfeed. The ingredients you’ll need for these cookies are 70-percent dark chocolate, olive oil, flour, cocoa powder, kosher salt, baking powder, brown sugar, white sugar, vanilla extract, eggs, chocolate chips, and flaky sea salt.

The Feeding NYC series was created to help raise awareness of the city’s Get Food NYC, the COVID-19 Emergency Food Distribution program, which is working to ensure all New Yorkers have access to the food they need.

“So many people are suffering right now because of COVID-19 but no New Yorker should go hungry because of this crisis,” Perelman says in her episode. “We know this is a really unusual time and we know that a lot of people are going through really difficult circumstances at the moment. If you need food assistance, please know that New York City will help,” she goes on to say.

Other efforts the city is taking to ensure hungry New Yorkers get the food they need during the coronavirus pandemic?

The New York City Department of Education is offering kids and adults three free meals each day, including kosher, halal, and vegetarian options.
New York City is providing assistance to New Yorkers during the COVID-19 crisis by delivering meals to those who cannot access food themselves.
Food pantries and community kitchens are open during the crisis. You can find locations offering free meals near you using the Get Food NYC map.

For more information, visit nyc.gov/GetFood.