Join us at Essex Market on Thursday, November 20, 2025 for an evening filled with great food and company, hearty drinks, and a chance to break bread together. MOFAD will be bringing together friends from all corners of the culinary landscape to support MOFAD’s new exhibition, Street Food City, exploring the history of NYC’s iconic street carts and the people who make them run. Our Gala theme, 'New York Across Generations’, recognizes the vital role of intergenerational family businesses in shaping the city's culinary landscape. MOFAD is honored to posthumously honor Saul Zabar with our Culinary Heritage Award as part of our celebration. Saul Zabar, the longtime co-owner of the iconic Zabar's specialty food emporium, exemplified the enduring spirit of family enterprise in New York. For over 70 years, spanning multiple generations, the Zabar family has been at the heart of the Upper West Side's gastronomic scene. This award not only celebrates Saul's individual achievements but also honors the Zabar family's commitment to nurturing their business across generations, passing down their passion for quality and service. 

Hosted by the iconic Peppermint,  with comedian Michelladona, and Hamburger America’s own George Motz on DJ duty, the room will be lead through a multi-course, multi-ethnic meal that can only happen in New York City - with toasts celebrating some of the incredible family businesses that have fed and nourished our souls for generations.