Tenement Museum to Honor Ed Koch, Ray O'Keefe With Best of Local Food

On June 6, the Lower East Side Tenement Museum will celebrate 23 years of unique and influential contributions to the New York City cultural community with a gala event at Center 548, the former site of the Dia Art Center. The event will include culinary offerings from some of the City's best known restaurants and purveyors, including Momofuku, Russ & Daughters, Murray's Cheese and Palo Santo. In addition, the event will feature a cooking demonstration by Tenement Museum Educator Sarah Lohman, who will prepare a famous apple pancake dish once served at Reuben's restaurant, a New York City landmark through much of the 20th century. Guests will also enjoy preview excerpts from Liberty, a new musical telling the story of America's most famous immigrant, the Statue of Liberty. The cast includes Broadway notables Beth McVey (Beauty and the Beast) and Adam Monley (Mamma Mia!).

The event will honor Former New York City Mayor Edward I. Koch and Former Tenement Museum Board President Raymond O'Keefe. Koch, who restored the City's fiscal stability during his three terms as Mayor between 1978 and 1989, now serves as a partner in the law firm of Bryan Cave LLP, hosts a weekly call-in radio program and lectures nationally. O'Keefe is an influential force in commercial real estate brokerage and consulting, having served in leadership roles at Cushman & Wakefield and Grubb & Ellis during his 44-year career.

The event will raise funds to support the Tenement Museum's educational programs, which served 173,000 visitors in 2010, a record for the Museum.

Event Honors Former New York Mayor Ed Koch and Former Museum Board Chair Raymond O'Keefe

Date: Monday, June 6, 2010
6:30 - 8:00 PM Foodfest; 8:00 - 10:00 PM program

Venue: Center 548, 548 West 22nd Street, New York City

Honorees: Edward I. Koch, Former Mayor of New York City, Raymond O'Keefe, Former Board Chair of the Tenement Museum

Gala Chairs:
Mark R. Costello, Managing Director, Ernst & Young
Paul J. Massey, Jr., Partner, Massey Knakal Realty Services
Stephen B. Siegel, Chairman, Global Brokerage, CB Richard Ellis
Howard L. Zimmerman, Principal, Howard Zimmerman Architects, P.C.

Participating Food and Beverage Sponsors:
Almond
Orwasher's Bakery
Brooklyn Brewery
Palo Santo, Chef Jacques Gautier
Di Palo Fine Foods
Panade Puffs & Pastries
Frank Restaurant
The Pickle Guys
Hot Bread Kitchen
Russ & Daughters
Ma Peche (Momofuku)
Steve Isherwood
Mile End Brooklyn
Tortilleria Nixtamal
Murray's Cheese
Village Wine Imports

About the Lower East Side Tenement Museum
97 Orchard Street is the heart of the Lower East Side Tenement Museum. This six-story tenement was home to approximately 7,000 people from 1863 until 1935, when it was closed as a residence. Since 1988, the Museum has worked to preserve the building's history and to date has restored six period apartments to reflect the stories of six of the families who called the tenement home.

Anchored in a neighborhood that has long been home to thousands of poor and working class people, the Lower East Side Tenement Museum is dedicated to using the history of its site as a tool for addressing issues that are still pressing today, including immigration and the ongoing evolution of American identity. The Museum is an accredited member of the American Association of Museums and an affiliate of both the National Park Service and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The Museum was recently honored in two White House ceremonies, with the Preserve America Presidential Award and the National Medal for Museum Service.