Events at this location

Briana Holt

Join us for a virtual visit to Briana Holt’s workspace at Tandem Coffee + Bakery.

Briana Holt was born and raised on Martha’s Vineyard, a small island rich in east coast agriculture and foodways. Her first job at age 13 was making donuts and bread at a tiny bakery that has served her hometown since the early 30’s. After studying film and art in western Massachusetts, she moved back to her hometown where she met Will and Kathleen Pratt while baking at a coffee shop Kathleen was working at. The three friends eventually moved to New York where Kathleen opened the Blue Bottle affiliate in Brooklyn and where Will worked as a roaster. Meanwhile, Briana lucked out working under some of Brooklyn’s best cooks and bakers at Pies ‘n’ Thighs, as well as M.Wells Diner.

Photo courtesy of Greta Rybus

Briana moved to Maine in 2013, a year after Will and Kathleen opened the first Tandem Coffee location. In 2014, Briana helped the couple open their second location, the now-acclaimed Tandem Coffee + Bakery. At the bakery, you’ll find the pastry counter full of familiar classics with a bold, whimsical edge. Briana and the rest of the baking team have a commitment to building strong relationships with Maine farms, featuring as many locally grown grains, fruits, produce, and meat as possible.

In 2015, Tandem Bakery was among Bon Appetit magazine’s “50 Best New Restaurants in America” with Briana touted by the editors as a “pastry genius.” Come 2020, she was named a semifinalist for Outstanding Baker by the 30th Annual James Beard Awards, an annual roundup of excellence in the restaurant and food industry.

Reservations are required for this event; register through Eventbrite to reserve your spot. This event is free for Mechanics’ Hall members and $8 for nonmembers.

Membership with Mechanics’ Hall is free for students and starts at just $50 a year for individual memberships, which includes use of the library, free and discounted access to programs, and much more. Consider becoming a member today and help support programs like this.