Naomi Pomeroy: Bringing The Best To Portland Diners

Naomi Pomeroy, owner and head chef of Beast in Portland, Oregon, is one of the most talented chefs in the country.

Pomeroy grew up in Corallis, Oregon, and was cared for by a single mother. She observed a great deal of cooking from her grandmother, learning how to make French toast at the age of 5. "My mom would put me to work in the kitchen, and that's probably how I ended up here," Pomeroy told About Face Magazine.

As she got older, she went into catering, opening Ripe Catering at just 22 with Michael Hebb. In 2007, Pomeroy opened the now successful and renowned Beast in Portland with sous chef Mika Paredes. Since then she's become a celebrity in the culinary world, even receiving a James Beard nomination for Best Chef Pacific Northwest.

She added, "I guess, for me, eating out is an experience overall. It's not just about the food. That's a lot to do with it, but it's environmental. And, it's about company," which is certainly emulated in her restaurant, Beast. She's keeping things fresh by changing the menu weekly, using as much of the animal that she can, and bringing interesting, savory plates to Portland in the form of charcuterie and cheese plates, loin roasts, and fresh salads. She also thinks Portland is the best food city in the world, and told the magazine that she would absolutely recommend Chef Gabriel Rucker's Le Pigeon for a group of friends to eat dinner at if they visited Portland.

According to Eater, Pomeroy is set to open Expatriate with bartender Kyle Webster. The restaurant will be her take on Burmese food and feature items like "Burmese salads, noodle dishes, shrimp toast, house curly fries with a 'high spice component,' and a crispy fish sandwich in a puffy-sweet roll chunked with sweet chili sauce, crispy basil and cucumber slaw," according to Portland Monthly Magazine.