'Inspiration': Friends remember Portland Chef Lauro Romero

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- Matthew Sigler and Francisco Morales are stunned at the sudden passing of their friend Lauro Romero, who was considered a trailblazer in the Portland food scene.

"Lauro was my best friend," Sigler told KOIN 6 News. "Just my brother."

Morales described Romero as "just such a giver, such a giver of everything he had and us as his friends and his family and everybody. He really was just, he was just down to share everything he had."

At the time of his death February 16, Romero was the chef at the Ritz-Carlton Portland. But he had his own spot, Clandestino, before.

"I think that Clandestino was his way of expressing himself and, you know, really doing food he wanted to do," Sigler said.

His dishes earned him national recognition.

"New York Times named one of his dishes the top 23 of 2023," Sigler said. "And you would never hear him say that. You'd have to run across it and be like, 'Lauro, dude, congratulations, man!'"

Both men said Lauro Romero played an influential role in the restaurant industry.

"He was an inspiration to his community, to his people as a BIPOC individual," Sigler said. "He really was a trailblazer in the way of Latino cooking."

"I've heard stories of young chefs that were working out of state or were working in different parts of the state," Morales said, "catching wind of him and traveling to Portland to see if they could get a job at his restaurant, like, to work with him and to learn from him."

Romero leaves behind 2 daughters.

"He's so proud of his eldest daughter," Sigler said, "and then his youngest daughter was, just, like, the light of his life."

A GoFundMe was set up to help with the immediate expenses and upcoming issues. Morales said their immediate concern was helping keep his eldest daughter in college "to make sure that she was going to have the ability to go to school and pursue her dream."

Friends said Romero died in his sleep A cause of death has not been released.

Morales and Sigler know what they would tell their great friend Lauro Romero.

"He really worked a lot and had a lot of responsibilities," Morales told KOIN 6 News. "But I just want him to rest in peace and know that there's nothing to worry about."

"I would tell him how much I loved him," Sigler said, "and I would tell him that I wish he was here."