freshness of each ingredient.
A dinner guest knows only three
things: a time, a place, and the cost.
How do they know? They’ve gotta be
on the list, and they’ve got to be quick
on the draw. The guys send out a blast
email and the first 14 people to reserve
a seat are in. Slow to check your email
that day? You’re probably sitting this
weekend’s dinner out.
Each dinner is a mystery menu. Guests
have no idea what they will be served.
No food allergies are considered. Oh,
and rest assured, these two know their
wines. Each wine served at the meal is
paired perfectly with the courses being
served.
Five years ago, Preisch and Stocks
worked together at The Bent Brick in
Portland. About one year ago, Preisch
started Holdfast Dining. Stocks
graduated from the Culinary Institute
of America in New York and finished
working at Graham Elliot, a 2 Michelin
star restaurant in Chicago, Illinois.
Stocks returned home to Portland and
joined Preisch at Holdfast.
Preisch is 30 years old and Stocks
only 26, but don’t be fooled by their
age. They’ve both been working in
kitchens since they were kids. Preisch
grew up around his father’s diner in
Cleveland, Ohio—practically born and
raised cooking. Stocks has worked in
fine dining restaurants since he was 15.
There’s no doubt that they’re food savvy.
“Our food is elegant. It’s food with
finesse,” declares Stocks.
Essentially, they could be considered
a pop-up kitchen, but they haven’t
moved yet. Holdfast is part of a kitchen
collective at KitchenCru in NW
Portland. They share the industrial
kitchen with other companies. They
like the KitchenCru space because it’s
beyond well-equipped, has a chef’s
table, and creates the environment that
they want their guests to experience.
“We present the food how we’d want
it to be served to us,” hollers Preisch
over the gangster rap blaring in the
b