“Top Chef Masters” alum Naomi Pomeroy died Saturday after drowning in a freak tubing accident. She was 49.
The restaurateur had been enjoying a day on the Willamette River in Corvallis, Ore., with her husband, Kyle Linden Webster, and one other person when she was pulled into the currents, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office shared in a press release Tuesday.
“An investigation by BCSO determined three adults recreating on tubes and a paddle board (two tubes were secured together and the paddle board was attached to Naomi), became entangled on an exposed snag in the water,” the police department shared.
“One of the adults, Naomi, was pulled under the water and unable to free herself due to the paddleboard leash.”
While the local fire department was able to recover the other two people in the group to safety on the shore, authorities have yet to recover Pomeroy’s body. The search is ongoing.
“BCSO deputies searched the area using all available tools, including sonar, underwater cameras, and drones, but were unable to locate any signs of Naomi in the area due to heavy debris in the water,” the statement said.
Search efforts were halted later Saturday after daylight diminished and dive teams could no longer conduct the search. However, responders have continued to search for Pomeroy every day since the incident.
“This Office is dedicated to locating Naomi and bringing her home to her family and loved ones,” Sheriff Van Arsdall said in the statement.
“I want to thank all involved in the search and recovery mission during this difficult time,” he added.
BCSO said Pomeroy was the first drowning victim of the year.
She was an esteemed Oregon-based chef who earned a James Beard Award for best chef Northwest in 2014.
She was also previously named one of America’s top 10 best new chefs by Food & Wine magazine and one of the 18 most powerful women in business by Marie Claire.
Pomeroy shuttered the doors to her popular restaurant, Beast, in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and opened a frozen custard shop, Cornet Custard, this past May. She also recently launched a dinner party series dubbed “Garden Party,” according to her Instagram.
The decorated cook left her mark on TV as a competitor in “Iron Chef” in 2010 and “Top Chef Masters” the next year.
She also served as a guest judge on “Knife Fight,” “Top Chef” and Bobby Flay’s “Bobby’s Triple Threat.”