Naomi Pomeroy
The next Alice Waters
Naomi Pomeroy, 35, chef and owner, Beast restaurant
Résumé: After starting out in a lowly catering job, Naomi Pomeroy sunk $50,000 of investors' money into Beast, which has since become Oregon's hottest eatery. The single mom of one, who's locked up some of the industry's most prestigious accolades, sources all of her ingredients locally — occasionally even butchering her own pigs.
Background check: "I've been cooking since I was 3 and wrote my first recipe when I was 4. It was: Chew up five almonds, spit them out, mix them with powdered sugar, make it into a cake, bake it, and add sprinkles. My mom still has it."
Big break: "Being nominated for a James Beard Award [2010 Best Chef: Northwest] was like being nominated for an Oscar. And since everyone's used to seeing me in jeans and Converse, getting super dressed up for the night was awesome."
Worst moment: "When I got divorced in 2006, I had to close two restaurants, sell a third, and tell 22 investors, 'We don't have your money, and we're not going to.' A few were angry, but others became my best friends — they respected that I went out and started again, and one of them even gave me a personal loan to start over."
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
-
Princess Kate's Sculpted Cheeks Could Be the Work of This Insider-Loved Treatment
The technique also has Meghan Markle's stamp of approval.
By Hanna Lustig Published
-
32 Great TV Shows That Capture What We Love About Our Closest Friendships
Watch these with your bestie (or when you miss them).
By Katherine J. Igoe Published
-
Kaia Gerber Test-Drives Selena Gomez's Winter Shoe Styling Hack
There's still a way to wear those open-toe heels.
By Halie LeSavage Published
-
Jessica Mendoza, ESPN's First Female Baseball Analyst, on Why the Haters Better Get Used to Hearing Her Voice
From winning gold at the Olympics to becoming one of the first female MLB commentators, she's no stranger to hitting it out of the park.
By Heather Furlow Published
-
The Dawn of the "Career Girl"
In an excerpt from Brooke Hauser's new biography, Enter Helen, iconic editor Helen Gurley Brown radically advocates for young women to have jobs, sex lives, and money of their own.
By Brooke Hauser Published
-
These Are the Highest Paying Jobs in America
Get the paycheck you deserve, stat.
By Megan Friedman Published
-
These Are Apparently the Best Jobs for Work/Life Balance
Get that peace-out-at-5-pm life.
By Megan Friedman Published
-
How Can I Get Ahead This Summer?
Dear Cubicle Coach: Half the office will be taking vacation this month. I'm not, so is there something I can do to get ahead while they're all sitting around the lake grilling tilapia?
By Cubicle Coach Published
-
10 Things Arianna Huffington Wished She Knew In Her Twenties
The influential The Huffington Post founder Arianna Huffington discusses the importance of talking kindly to ourselves, occasionally disconnecting, and handling the harshest criticism.
By Susie Moore Published
-
Moira Forbes on the Most Powerful Women in the World
The list of women you should consider your role models.
By Jaclyn Trop Published
-
Female Breadwinners Don't See a Wage Drop After Having Kids
Want to raise your personal income after you've become a mom? Marrying rich isn't the way to do it.
By Diana Pearl Published