Chef Naomi Pomeroy (1974 - 2024)

[FrogPrincesse]

I just read the sad news that Portland chef Naomi Pomeroy had died in an accident. She had won the James Beard award for Best Chef Northwest in 2014 and had appeared on Top Chef Masters.

[weinoo]

I saw it too. RIP.

[blue_dolphin]

Wow.  Very sad.  I had my quibbles with some of her bossy instructions in her cookbook, Taste & Technique but there are a number of techniques that I return to regularly. 

[Okanagancook]

Very, very sad indeed.  Only 49.

[FrogPrincesse]

Today Eater published this article that details her influence on the Portland culinary food scene.

[NadyaDuke]

I've been a fan of hers for so long. I was lucky enough to eat at Beast on multiple special occasions. I once was in a local jewelers when she popped in to return the necklace she'd borrowed to wear to the James Beard awards. I've bought Thanksgiving centerpieces from the florist she cofounded. This breaks my heart. 

 

She turned Beast into a market/cafe called Ripe during the pandemic. After lockdown was lifted, I was lucky enough to be part of a ten person private dinner there that was like the old Beast that also incorporated produce from her personal garden. As part of the event she also gave a cooking demonstration of how to make stuffed zucchini blossom tempura, hung out and chatted with us, and signed copies of her book. I already had the book, being a huge fangirl, but I kept the signed one of course and gave the other one to my sister. 

 

Edited July 17 by NadyaDuke
added photo (log)

[AAQuesada]

On 7/15/2024 at 7:15 PM, blue_dolphin said:

aste & Technique but there are a number of techniques that I return to regularly. 

 

Thanks for mentioning this, I picked up her book at Now Serving last weekend! I'm thinking about trying the lentil recipe first. 

[paul o' vendange]

We were re-watching Top Chef Season 15, episode 5 ("This is not Glamping") just two nights ago, the very night I found out.  I was very saddened to come to know of it.  Not too many days prior, I had read the article covering Kwame Onwuachi in the current F & W, and noted the sidebar at the end mentioning Naomi's Cornet Custard Shop.  She died after the issue had already gone to press.  Peace to her memory and healing to her husband, staff, friends and family.

Edited July 28 by paul o' vendange (log)