On Friday, November 13, from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM, cookbook author Joan Nathan and Carol Becker, owner of William Greenberg Desserts, will host an open conversation at our Upper West Side bakery, 285 Amsterdam Avenue, as part of ChallahFest. Merav Oren, founder and CEO of FOODISH, will moderate, and Jake Cohen joins partway through to answer baking questions and talk about food culture.
An Ask-Me-Anything Morning
The festival calls it an “AMA,” and it’s exactly that: an intimate morning when you can ask two people who have spent their careers with Jewish baking anything you like about challah, holiday tables, and the recipes that get passed down. Bring your questions.
Joan Nathan
Joan Nathan is the author of more than a dozen cookbooks, including Jewish Cooking in America, and hosted the PBS series of the same name. A longtime contributor to The New York Times, she is one of the most respected voices on Jewish food in America.
Carol Becker
Carol Becker has owned William Greenberg Desserts since 2008. Her baking career started with challah: she baked loaves every Friday for friends and neighbors before launching her own small bakery, Bread and Batter. She is the author of The William Greenberg Desserts Cookbook and William Greenberg Desserts Bakes Vegan.
More ChallahFest at Our Bakeries
From November 12 to 15, every challah purchase at either bakery comes with a complimentary ChallahFest DIY Kit, and you can stop in for challah nuggets, served by the cone. Both are available while supplies last. For everything happening at our bakeries, read ChallahFest Begins at Our Bakery.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Joan Nathan and Carol Becker conversation?
Friday, November 13, 2026, from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM.
Where is it?
William Greenberg Desserts, 285 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, New York, on the Upper West Side.
Will Jake Cohen be there?
Yes. Jake Cohen joins partway through the session to answer baking questions and talk about food culture.
Do I need a ticket?
No. The conversation is free and open to walk-ins, according to the ChallahFest program at foodishglobal.org.
What is ChallahFest?
ChallahFest is a global challah festival from FOODISH by ANU Museum of the Jewish People, running November 6 to 29, 2026, in seven cities. The New York program runs November 12 to 15, and William Greenberg Desserts is its primary partner.
Can I get a ChallahFest DIY Kit?
Yes. From November 12 to 15, every challah purchase at William Greenberg Desserts comes with a complimentary ChallahFest DIY Kit, while supplies last.