Naomi Pomeroy, ‘Top Chef Masters’ Star and James Beard Winner, Dies at 49

Naomi Pomeroy, whose stardom flourished during her time on Bravo’s “Top Chef Masters,” has died at age 49. The self-taught chef drowned in a river tubing accident on Saturday near Corvallis, Ore.

According to the New York Times and Pomeroy’s husband Kyle Linden Webster, the pair was tubing down Willamette River with a friend over the weekend when they were thrown from their floats into the water after an inner tube hit a partially submerged branch. Webster and the friend survived by swimming to the shore. Rescuers initially located Pomeroy’s body underwater, but were unable to retrieve her due to the rapid currents. Their search is ongoing as of Wednesday.

Born in Corvallis, Ore. on Nov. 30, 1974, Pomeroy started cooking when she was just 3 years old, creating her first recipe by the age of 4. She graduated with a degree in history from Lewis & Clark College, but ultimately pivoted fully into her passion for cooking. Throughout her career, she launched Ripe Catering, an underground dinner club called Family Supper, a prepped meal service company called Ripe Cooperative, a frozen custard shop called Cornet Custard and a cookbook titled “Taste & Technique,” published in 2016.

Pomeroy opened up her Portland-based restaurant Beast in 2007. She then took her talents to the TV screen in 2010 when she became a contestant on “Iron Chef.” She also appeared on the Bravo cooking competition show “Top Chef Masters” in 2011, placing fourth in Season 3, and went on to be a judge on “Top Chef,” “Knife Fight” and “Bobby’s Triple Threat.”

Her wide acclaim helped shape the Portland food scene. Pomeroy was named as one of country’s Top 10 Best New Chefs by Food & Wine, while Oprah Magazine listed her as one of the Top 10 Women on the Rise. Most notably, she also took home the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef Northwest 2014.

Pomeroy is survived by husband Webster, who also is restaurateur, and daughter August. The Portland Monthly was first to report the news.

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