Top Chef Masters star Naomi Pomeroy has died at the age of 49.
The cookbook author, who took part in the hit Bravo competition, died following a tragic boating accident with her family.
She was said to be inner tubing with her husband, Kyle Linden Webster, and an unnamed friend in Oregon over the weekend when tragedy struck.
According to multiple outlets, their flotilla flipped over in ‘murky, fast-moving’ currents on the Willamette River.
reports that their inner tubes hit a snag on Saturday night – Webster and their friend resurfaced and were able to make it to the shore.
Search and rescue teams were dispatched by the Corvallis Fire Department and Benton County Sheriff’s Office at around 8.25pm that evening.
Rescuers were able to locate her body, but struggled to recover her due to the strong currents.
The outlet reports that authorities continued their search the following day.
confirmed the news of hear death, explaining that her family ‘asks for privacy at this moment’.
Plans for a memorial have not been shared.
Webster has yet to speak publicly over his loss, but tributes came in for Pomeroy in the comments of her most recent Instagram picture.
ChefStephenJones simply penned: ‘Rest In Peace Chef devastating news.’
Wolvesmouth wrote: ‘Wow I don’t know what to say. Rest easy Naomi. U had such an impact on pdx food. So sad to hear this. Speechless [sic].’
Straighttothehipsbaby shared: ‘Such an inspiration and example of what talent & heart can do. May her memory be a blessing to those she loved and loved back.’
Priestessofavalon commented: ‘We’ve known each other for a very long time and I will miss your creativity and spark for your craft. My love goes out to your heart, your friends and family. You are dearly missed.
‘May that gorgeous Rainbow Bridge sail you across an exquisite veil into deep rest. Thank you for your contribution.’
Pomeroy found her love of all things food-related from a very early age, and previously explained that she had been cooking since she was just three years old – developing her very first recipe a year later.
She had no formal training but would refine her craft by surveying her fellow chefs, before opening her own Portland restaurant, Beast, in 2007.
In 2010, she stepped foot in the spotlight by appearing on the Food Network’s series Iron Chef in season eight, but lost out to Jose Garces.
Following this, she went on to compete in Top Chef Masters in 2011 – the series served as a spin-off to Bravo’s Top Chef – Floyd Cardoz eventually won the competition.
Pomeroy has been highly praised for her ‘innovative’ restaurants in Portland, and took home the prestigious James Beard Award for Best Chef Pacific Northwest in 2014.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, she was forced to shut Beast but used the space to launch Ripe Cooperative.
Unveiling the news on Instagram, she penned at the time: ‘A new kind of community market offering essentials like wine, fresh bread, hand stuffed and extruded pastas, specialty pantry items, lovingly prepared foods for take-away, and four-course finish-at-home meal boxes.’
Pomeroy is survived by her husband, Webster, and her daughter, August.
