8it brought its industry give-back series, Family Meal, to Aliya on Monday, August 17 for Family Meal Vol. 21: Puerto Rican Pool Party, an all-day celebration built specifically for the people behind New York City’s restaurants and bars.
Family Meal was created by 8it to serve back the industry that serves New York. The recurring, industry-only event brings together hundreds of restaurant owners, chefs, bartenders, servers and hospitality professionals for a night where they are the guests—with food, music and experiences provided at no cost to attendees paired with an accessibly priced specialty cocktail menu.
For Vol. 21, Family Meal turns its focus to Puerto Rico, with a lineup of chefs, bartenders and DJs celebrating the island and its influence on New York food and culture.
Headlining dinner is Chef Danny Garcia, winner of Top Chef Season 21, a 2025 James Beard Emerging Chef semifinalist and founder of Only Goods, his 100% halal Latin-American food concept. Garcia will serve his signature guava BBQ lamb ribs with sofrito rice and pickles.
The evening will also feature a bite from Chef Frances Roman of Cocotazo, a dessert drop from pastry chef Valerie Figueroa and music from Curly Nez and Sunny Cheeba.
The celebration begins earlier in the day with industry-only pool hours from 2–6PM, featuring a poolside grill menu from Chef Scotley Innis paired with Hennessy Very Special Cocktails.
The event marks the third New York appearance of Hennessy’s new Very Special Cocktails, the cognac house’s first line of bottled Ready to Serve cocktails. After making their New York debut at Governors Ball and subsequently appearing at 8it and Arroces’ Paella Rave Vol. 4 in Brooklyn, the cocktails return for Family Meal Vol. 21. This event provides a special space for Hennessy’s newly launched and highly sought out product line to be shared specifically with New York’s hospitality industry workers.
Hennessy’s Henny Berry, Henny Rita and Henny Iced Tea will be served throughout the pool party, while Liquid Chefs Genesis Cruz and Ashli Martin will create additional Hennessy specialty cocktails for the evening’s Family Meal service.
Limited-edition Family Meal kitchen ticket towels and terrycloth bucket hats will also drop during pool hours on a first-come basis.
At 6PM, Family Meal dinner service begins, with Garcia’s Puerto Rican-inspired menu at the center of an evening designed to celebrate the people who make New York’s hospitality industry run.
Following dinner, the celebration moves to Mr. Melo in Williamsburg for Family Meal After Dark from 9:30PM until late. Hosted by Perreo Intenso, the after-party will feature a vinyl set from WOOF b2b Loly Roots and a late-night food drop from Chef Dylan Golden of Chino Grande with Mike’s Hot Honey.
San Pellegrino and Acqua Panna will provide water throughout Family Meal Vol. 21, keeping the industry hydrated.
