World-renowned chef and “Top Chef Masters” star Naomi Pomeroy died after she became trapped underwater while tubing with her husband and a friend on an Oregon river.
Pomeroy, 49, was tubing with her husband, Kyle Linden Webster, and another on the Willamette River near Corvallis, Ore., when the group got caught on an “exposed snag in the water,” the Benton County Sheriff’s Office wrote in a statement Tuesday.
The beloved chef was then pulled under the water and became trapped by a paddle board leash attached to her, causing her to drown, officials said.
The trio had reportedly tied their inner tubes and paddle board together before the incident.
The Corvallis Fire Department has yet to recover Pomeroy’s body while Webster and the third individual were rescued on the shoreline — around 60 miles outside Portland.
“I am dedicated to locating Naomi to bring her home to her family and loved ones,” Sheriff Van Arsdall said.
Rescue personnel have combed parts of the 187-mile river using sonar, underwater cameras, and drones, but heavy debris has made the search a struggle, officials said.
Pomeroy became a figurehead in the Portland culinary scene after opening the beloved farm-to-table restaurant Beast in 2007, according to The Oregonian.
Pomeroy won the coveted James Beard Award, given to the Best Chef in the Northwest, in 2014 following the success of her hit restaurant.
The self-taught chef closed Beast in May 2020 but rebranded the location as Ripe Cooperative soon after. However, due to the rising costs of running the restaurant, she was forced to close it in October 2022, the outlet reported.
Pomeroy is best known for her appearance on Bravo’s cooking show “Top Chef Masters” in 2011.
The renowned chef finished fourth in the show’s third season, which awarded Pomeroy $26,800.
She later appeared on “Top Chef” as a guest judge and guest diner.
In recent years, Pomeroy co-owned the Portland cocktail bar Expatriate with her husband.
The chef was also opening a new bistro restaurant in the Northwest city, according to The Oregonian.
US Rep. Earl Blumenauer, who represents Oregon’s 3rd Congressional District, called the chef he worked closely with during the pandemic, called the news of her death “tragic.”
“Naomi was not just a fabulous chef and entrepreneur, but an amazing human being,” Blumenauer said, according to the outlet.
“Her impact went far beyond Portland, helping establish our leadership and reputation for food excellence. She will be greatly missed.”
Fellow “Top Chef Masters” contestant and author Mary Sue Milliken also shared a heartbreaking post after learning of Pomeroy’s sudden death.
“Devastated to hear we tragically lost the super talented chef Naomi Pomeroy. She and I bonded over stressful cooking challenges on Top Chef Masters season 3…… my heart goes out to Kyle, August and all her dear friends,” she posted on X Tuesday.
On July 12, officials recovered a 13-year-old boy from the Willamette River following a three-day search, according to KOIN.
The teen had been playing in the water when he disappeared.