Briana Holt (class of 1998) found her passion at Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School mostly through the arts, actively participating in almost everything directed by Duncan Ross, and spending most after-school hours working with a team at the Vineyard Playhouse. After graduating, she enrolled at UMass Amherst as an acting major. She quickly became more interested in film study, and switched majors. While she enjoyed the film screenings and the people she met at the writing groups, structured school and consistent class schedules were not quite the fit for her, and she left college after one year.
She remained in Western Massachusetts, living and working alongside a vibrant community of artists and musicians in a house/studio where bands would perform. She worked at restaurants –– a familiar industry, since she had started learning early by baking donuts and breads at a small Island bakery (the original Humphrey’s) at age 13. Eventually, she returned to school, enrolling at Greenfield Community College, where she majored in drawing and film photography. Briana built a life in Western Massachusetts for seven or eight years, continuing to spend time on the Island in summers. It was during that time that she met Will and Kathleen Pratt through the Island music scene and working at Mocha Mott’s.
The three friends eventually moved to New York City, where Briana worked at a small restaurant in Brooklyn, Pies ’n’ Thighs, where, yet again, she baked biscuits and pies and donuts! Although her mother had passed away several years before, Briana returned to Martha’s Vineyard in 2013 to spend more time with her dad, who was living alone. While on the Island, she worked at 7a Foods in West Tisbury with Dan and Noni, where she was encouraged to bake everything, further honing her skills and building a lasting friendship.
Meanwhile, the Pratts had opened the first Tandem, a small coffee-roasting location in Portland, Maine. Briana joined them not long after, and the three friends opened a second, larger location with the addition of a bakery, which has now been open for 11 years. As the head of a dedicated team, Briana works closely with Maine farmers, featuring their grains, fruits, and other produce in their products.
Briana has been celebrated as “a pastry genius,” culminating in her recognition as a semifinalist for Outstanding Baker in the 2020 James Beard Awards. Bravo, Briana –– an impressive achievement for a young woman who forged her own path and loves what she does. (Look out for a future cookbook by Briana!) You continue to make us incredibly proud. Thank you!
Marge Harris was a teacher at MVRHS for 27 years. You can contact her at margeharris@comcast.net. This column appears twice a month.