Behind the scenes of Soho House Portland’s pre-opening dinner

As our latest North American House prepares to open its doors, we celebrated a well-worn Soho House tradition: the pre-opening Hard Hat Dinner. Held in partnership with Perfect Moment, the night provided the opportunity for Founder members to get a glimpse of their future club and mix with people from the city’s broader creative community over an intimate dinner prepared by local chef, Jeremy Larter.

Soho House Portland is located in the historic Troy Laundry Building – formerly one of city’s biggest laundry facilities, as reflected in the House’s washing machine-inspired logo – with many of its original industrial features, such as exposed brickwork and concrete columns, preserved, in line with sustainable building practices.

Guests enjoyed a tour of the building on arrival, followed by a dinner that was in every sense a local affair, designed to spotlight some of the best produce the Pacific Midwest has to offer. As members mingled, they ate hors d'oeuvres served at a raw bar, with seasonal seafood towers filled with fresh Dungeness crab, Pacific oysters and Oregon uni (the delicacy found inside sea urchins). 

Next came the starters: pickled yellow beets were topped with hazelnuts from the Freddy Guys orchard in Oregon's mid-Willamette Valley, with fresh bread from Portland’s very own Ken’s Artisan Bakery. Mains were centred around a choice between beef short rib, salmon, and winter mushrooms, before members moved on to dessert: a salted-caramel panna cotta and selection of cheeses from local cheesemonger, Cowbell. Throughout the evening, natural wine (locally produced, of course) was served. 

As members ate and drank, some commented on their excitement at having a space such as Soho House in the city – a place for them to expand their community and meet fellow Portlanders in the creative industries. 

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