PORTLAND, Oregon — The Hispanic and Portland food communities are mourning the loss of Chef Lauro Romero. Family and friends took to social media over the weekend to share the impact he left on them.
“There are so many stories and so many memories with Lauro," said Daniel Huerta, a friend of Romero's. "He was one of a kind.”
To many, Romero was a trailblazer in Rose City's food scene. He arrived in Portland in 2013 on a quest to further his passion for food. Romero later co-founded the prominent Republica restaurant before cutting ties in 2022. He would then open up his own restaurant called the Clandestino — where a New York Food Columnist named him as having one of their "23 of the Best American Dishes of 2023." Romero then mostly recently served as chef at Bellpine inside the Ritz-Carlton.
“He made a mark and I’m just so proud of him," said Jamie Soltero Jr, a friend of Romero's. “He always pushed the envelope. And he always wanted to do more, do it bigger, and do it better.”
Romero was the definition of the American Dream. He migrated to America at age 14 with nothing and built the life he dreamed of. He learned from great chefs during his time in Utah, before making the move to Portland. And he always made sure take those eager to learn, under his wing.
"That's what Lauro was about. He made sure that he brought his people with him," said Huerta. "And by that I mean everyone that you talk to that worked under him — has high respect for him and immense gratitude to him because he passed on what he had learned. And to go from — as he put it, from washing dishes to becoming executive chef? I mean, it's truly an unbelievable story."
Romero would too make a personal and professional impact on many of his friends, including Soltero Jr.
"He was also a key component of this place where we're at," Soltero Jr. told KGW inside his soon-to-be-opened restaurant Colibri off Northwest Glisan and 12th Avenue. "He pushed me to go back to my roots and execute the cuisine from where my mom's from."
Both men say these are moments they will both cherish forever as they have vowed to continue honoring him and the achievements he worked so hard for.
Romero leaves behind his two daughters. A GoFundMe has been set to help cover funeral expenses. It will also help fulfill another dream he was pursuing — supporting his eldest daughter who is enrolled in a neuroscience program at UC Berkley.