Article in Coachella Valley Weekly

By Raymond Bill

When it comes to dining out in the valley, the rules have completely changed! In a customer-centric community driven by competition, we constantly seek something unique in our dining selection; we desire an experience that appeals to all senses. Many local restaurants can produce a great meal and great service; however, there has always been something lacking, until now! Partners, Michael Fietsam and David Horgen have created such a venue in PS Underground, an exclusive, underground wandering supper club that truly leaves the guests in awe.


Guests that are fortunate enough to reserve a seat at one of these events have no idea what they are about to experience as the details are not available in advance. The menu is available upon arrival and the location is emailed to guests between 24 and 48 hours in advance. Having been invited to attend a couple PS underground events, I assure you they will not disappoint! Each event is unique unto itself and the menu is carefully planned to not only enhance their theme, but also accommodate diners’ dietary needs.

Here is how it works. First, you must visit www.psunderground.com and enter your information and reservation request. You will then be privy to upcoming events and information about PS Underground. Once you have requested your seat(s) at the community table(s), you will receive a response via email of your confirmation. Then you wait until a day or two before the event to discover where you will be dining. The locations may change but the accessibility will always be easy. Whether you are dining in a residence or a warehouse, it will be spectacular. As you arrive, you will enjoy a cocktail reception with passed appetizers. The dining room will remain closed as anticipation climaxes. This allows for guests to get to know each other as they will all dine together and share the experience of PS Underground.

Finally, the doors open and guests are ushered to their seats in a grand, lavishly decorated dining room. You will not see attention to detail at this level in any of our local restaurants. Guests do not receive service from a waiter, rather they are entertained by performance artists! Each course is announced and presented in a manner that can only be described as artistic. A full course gourmet meal paired with fine wines and great conversation are sure to be enjoyed by all at this one of a kind event.

I cannot tell you much about their upcoming event as it is still kept secret, but I have been told it will be quite impressive. Extravagant service techniques usually offered when preparing Cherries Jubilee or Bananas Foster, are to be expected by their Performance Artists, and lighting and sound effects by Bruce Feagle Productions are sure to illuminate the atmosphere as well as the guests faces as they enjoy this upcoming event simply called “Spectrum”.

“Spectrum” is scheduled for July 12 & 13 and will likely return for encore dining events based on demand. This is one of many dining experiences you will not want to miss. Learn more about PS Underground by visiting their website as well as their Facebook page.


COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT ARTICLE

by Jimmy Boegle

 

PS UNDERGROUND Offers Surprises, Delights to Adventurous
Foodies



So this is how it
works: You go to the PS UNDERGROUND webpage, and you request a reservation for a
dinner event being held on a certain date. The event is called, say, “Spectrum:
An Evening of Culinary Theater.”  You
disclose any dietary restrictions, and say whether any members of your party
are nondrinkers. If your reservation is confirmed, you pay, in the case of
“Spectrum,” $89, plus tax, per person.  You
don’t know the location (other than it is somewhere local)
for “Spectrum.” You don’t know what’s being served. And you don’t
even know what in the world “Spectrum” means. 
Shortly before the event, you’ll get an email revealing the location,
time and perhaps a hint about the theme, so you can dress up appropriately.


If such a culinary
adventure sounds intriguing, then you should check out PS UNDERGROUND.  PS UNDERGROUND is the brainchild of Michael
Fietsam and David Horgen. The local foodies, both of whom have backgrounds in
the restaurant biz, say PS UNDERGROUND got its start thanks to the dinner
parties the couple would hold at their home. The more parties they had, the
more popular they became.

“People (friendsof friends) were coming to our house we didn’t even know,” Fietsam says. “We figured out that obviously, something was missing in the desert. There was a niche, and we thought: Why not turn our love and passion (for food) into a business?”  Thus, PS UNDERGROUND was born.

The first event was held last November. “A Taste of Autumn” was held in a 1960s-era artist bungalow, and appetizers were served outside, near a fire pit and sculptures.  Dinner was served inside next to … a Jacuzzi? 
“It was a blend of elegance and kitsch!” says the PS UNDERGROUND
website.



Four other events
have followed, including “Last Dinner on the Titanic,” held in April on the
101st anniversary of the last meal aboard the doomed ship. Fietsam says that he
and David try to appeal to all of the senses, and for the “Last Dinner,” not
only did they re-create the menu of the Titanic’s final meal; they made the
dining room look as much as possible like the room the first-class passengers
on the Titanic would have found. They put up pictures from the voyage. They
played newsreels about the ship’s maiden voyage. They worked with a local
producer on a 15-minute video to play at the dinner. They even researched how the food was served to passengers.  “We wanted our diners transported into that
experience,” Fietsam says.


Due to an increase in demand, “Spectrum”—PS UNDERGROUND’s fifth event—was grown into four nights spread over two weekends. The first two nights happened on July 12 and 13, with the second two occurring on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 2 and 3.  Guests at the first two “Spectrum” nights were asked to keep quiet about the details until the second two nights have come and
gone. So, I asked Fietsam: Can you offer any hints on what attendees can
expect?  “The location we’ve chosen is quite unique. It’s not a place people would expect for a dinner party,” he says. In fact, he says that attendees are on “pins and needles” during the cocktail portion of the evening, wondering how, exactly, the night is going to
work out.

 If you’re interested in attending “Spectrum,” or any PS UNDERGROUND event, early reservations are advised, because Michael and David cap the attendance at 30 to keep the dinner-party vibe intact.



To join the club,
get information on future events, look at pictures and menus from previous
events, or make reservations for one of the final two “Spectrum” nights, visit www.psunderground.com.
You can also follow PS UNDERGROUND on Facebook.

 



COACHELLA VALLEY WEEKLY ARTICLE

 

By ShareKitchen


ShareKitchen has a diverse offering of client members with one of the most
unique being PS Underground, a wandering supper club.  They host dining
experiences, parties and special events in art galleries, warehouses, private
homes and unique locations which are only revealed at the last minute to those
who reserve a seat. 
PS Underground’s owner, Michael Fietsam, needed a
licensed catering kitchen in order to build his business. Because they only use
a kitchen for a limited time each month, ShareKitchen was a perfect
fit. 
“Without ShareKitchen, we could not have built our business. The
overhead of renting or leasing a full kitchen is just too cost prohibitive when
first starting an operation such as ours,” said Fietsam.
The resources
offered by ShareKitchen have helped launch PS Underground’s brand and laid the
foundation to help Fietsam reach his goal of becoming a viable, stand alone
business. 
Since first partnering with ShareKitchen in March 2013, PS
Underground has also hosted several of their secret dining experiences at
ShareKitchen including a Last Dinner on the Titanic party held on the
101st anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic with guests being served
the same fare as first-class passengers ate on that fateful night.  

Due to its popularity, PS Underground will be hosting an encore of their
culinary theater known as Spectrum on August 2nd and 3rd.  Spectrum is
a six-course culinary tour inspired by the colors of the spectrum, billed as a
kaleidoscope for the senses. The evening includes libations, appetizers, wine
and multi-curse feast for $89 per person plus tax. Tickets can be purchased
online at www.psunderground.com.
ShareKitchen is a non-profit organization
located at 68805 E Palm Canyon Drive, Cathedral City. For more information, call
760-459-4259 or visit www.ShareKitchen.org.  For information about PS
Underground, visit www.psunderground.com, call 760-636-8442 or email
info@psunderground.com. 


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