Release Date: July 16, 2024 at 6pm PDT
Naomi Pomeroy, the beloved and celebrated chef who competed on Bravo’s Top Chef Masters, has passed away. She was 49 years old.
According to the Benton County, Oregon, Sheriff’s Office, Pomeroy drowned in the Willamette River in Corvallis, about 100 yards upstream from the Marys River, on July 13 at approximately 8:25 p.m., tragically becoming the area’s first drowning fatality of the year.
According to authorities, Pomeroy and two adults were on tubes and a paddleboard (the two tubes were fastened together and the paddleboard was attached to Pomeroy) when they became entangled on an exposed rock in the water. Authorities said Pomeroy was pulled underwater and was unable to escape due to the leash on his paddleboard.
The two adults were safely transported to a boat launch while authorities searched for Pomeroy’s body. Corvallis Fire Department officers and personnel searched the area using sonar, underwater cameras and drones but were unable to find Pomeroy due to the large amount of debris in the water. Search efforts were suspended after dark and searches for the body have continued daily since Saturday. Authorities say they will continue the search until the body is recovered.
Naomi Pomeroy attends FOOD & WINE magazine’s 2009 Best New Chefs at City Winery in New York on April 1, 2009. – Getty”Top Chef” host Padma Lakshmi and guest judge Naomi Pomeroy. – Getty
“My office is committed to locating Naomi and returning her to her family and loved ones,” Sheriff Van Arsdal said. “I would like to thank everyone who was involved in the search and recovery efforts during this difficult time.”
Pomeroy’s husband, Kyle Linden Webster, was one of two adults who survived the crash, according to The Oregonian.
Pomeroy is a beloved Portland chef who is credited with helping to spark the city’s culinary explosion since opening his restaurant, Beast, in 2007. He then competed on Top Chef Masters Season 3, which aired in the spring of 2011, placing fourth and winning $26,800 in prize money. Pomeroy later returned to Top Chef as a guest judge and guest diners.
Her accolades include being recognized as a “Chef to Watch” by Food & Wine magazine, Oprah magazine, and in 2014 she was presented with the prestigious James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Pacific Northwest.
Pomeroy also owned the Portland cocktail bar Expatriate with her husband, which was closed on Monday and mourners placed flowers outside in Pomeroy’s memory, KOIN reported.
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