Farewell to our friend Tom, a great man and restaurateur

 
ABOVE: Tom Perron at the March 11, 2020 Restaurant Week Summit. The photograph is taken from the upper floor of his restaurant, Mombo, where he said the photographer would have a much better vantage point. BELOW: Tom shared his love of the kitchen with the Portsmouth High School Career Technical Education students, pictured here Tom was leading CTE students in making a dessert as he volunteered in December at the Career Pathways program.

Farewell to our friend Tom, a great man and restaurateur

Thoughtful in demeanor, and very sweet of heart, on June 4, Thomas “Tom” Perron passed away, and left us with memories of his time as the Chef Owner of Mombo, the restaurant on the edge of Strawbery Banke. Tom most recently hosted the Restaurant Week Summit on March 11. 

During this event, Restaurant Week event sponsors meet with restaurant decision-makers, and Tom offered Mombo and a wonderful spread of food. Tom stood at the door (shown), and could be seen greeting guests and giving mini tours to those who remembered the site as Strawbery Banke’s Dunaway Store. Tom was proud of Mombo, as well he should have been--not only was it a popular destination for lovely meals and weddings alike, but Mombo latched onto one of the first hard-to-find necessities of Covid-19. Tom's "Dinner and a roll" campaign captured Tom's humor and marketing savvy and was written up in more than one newspaper.

Perron’s hospitality chops were sharp, and ran beyond the Seacoast of New Hamsphire (and in much warmer climes!) He ran Diamond Award-winning hotel kitchens such as The Four Seasons in Hawaii and The Tides in Miami Beach. He was also an American Culinary Federation Certified Executive Chef and was nominated Chef of the Year 2006 for the Miami Chapter.

The July Strawbery Banke Museum newsletter stated, “Strawbery Banke lost a dear friend and supportive partner, Tom Perron, chef owner of Mombo Restaurant. Always ready to donate his time and talent generously to events from Vintage & Vine, and PASSPORT, to special occasions like the luncheon he prepared for President and Mrs. Obama and the Bidens during their visit in 2016, Tom and his incomparable hospitality will be missed.”

Mombo’s 10-year anniversary came this summer, a milestone for the restaurant, the Seacoast, and for Tom, the man that led this restaurant family. Farewell, Tom, may you rest in peace.

Farewell to our friend Tom, a great m...