First, Friendsgiving

Before the family Thanksgiving, there’s the one with your friends. The menu is in a shared doc. Nobody’s claimed the vegetables. Three people are bringing wine. Friendsgiving is coming together nicely.

Before you squeeze everyone into your apartment, get the group together at 92NY on November 24. We’ve assembled a very good table: Morgan Raum, Jeremy Jacobowitz, Emily Stephenson, and Amanda Dell, with Eitan Bernath leading the conversation. You’ve watched their videos, saved their recipes, possibly met your new favorite person at one of their parties. Now, come hear what they’re serving.

Morgan Raum wants more mac and cheese. Behind @tooomuchfoood and Shabbat Club is a born-and-raised New Yorker who’s turned Friday-night dinner into a social calendar, with more than 50 events from NYC to LA, Miami, and Israel. Her Friendsgiving priorities are equally clear: giant cheese pulls, marshmallow-topped sweet potatoes, crispy Brussels sprouts, and pumpkin pie. “Turkey is just a vehicle for gravy,” she says. “It’s really a sides party.”

Emily Stephenson literally wrote the book. The Friendsgiving Handbook, to be specific. She’s also the writer behind As Cooked on TikTok and a collaborator on a dozen cookbooks — so yes, you want her advice before attempting that recipe you saved. Her own dessert plan involves three pies: a classic, one gluten-free and/or vegan so everyone gets a slice, and a wildcard like concord grape. “Because I love a project.” For the rest of us, there’s her Rosemary Old Fashioned. Start there.

Jeremy Jacobowitz is bringing Breads Bakery. More than a million followers join the Brunch Boys founder on food adventures from New York to Japan. He’s worked with Bobby Flay and behind the scenes in food TV; he knows his way around a kitchen. His Friendsgiving contribution? “Alcohol, and/or treats I’m picking up from Breads Bakery!” Expertise is knowing where to shop.

Amanda Dell has the food stories you want to hear. At Jewish Food Society, she helps bring Jewish food culture to life through projects including The Great Nosh and Schmaltzy, the storytelling podcast featuring guests like Ilana Glazer, Alison Roman, and Jake Cohen. Her own family’s Thanksgiving history includes her parents wheeling a cooked turkey through Manhattan in a shopping cart. Her grandmother Bertie’s recipe was coming to dinner, whatever it took.

Eitan Bernath is coming to defend Brussels sprouts. The chef and cookbook author went from Chopped at 11 to cooking with Drew Barrymore and reaching a global audience with his videos. For Friendsgiving, his pick is surprisingly straightforward: “A perfectly cooked Brussels sprout will change your life.” We have follow-up questions.

Come with your friends, your hosting questions, and your own strongly held opinions about the sides. Leave with something good to bring to the table.

Foodie Friendsgiving at 92NY
Tuesday, November 24, at 7:30 pm · Buttenwieser Hall