Top Chef Masters contestant Naomi Pomeroy died at the age of 49.
The award-winning culinary expert's death was confirmed by her friends on Monday, according to The U.S. Sun. Initially, Naomi was unidentified as she happened to be one of the three individuals who were tubing down the Willamette River outside of Portland, Oregon.
Shortly after the incident it was confirmed that the unidentified woman was in fact Naomi.
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KEZ19 News reported that at the time of the mishap Naomi wasn't wearing a lifejacket. After the three tied tubes hit a tree in the water Naomi was pulled underwater and she didn't resurface. At around 8:25 p.m. on Saturday night authorities found Naomi's body underwater.
According to The U.S. Sun, "it was revealed that a strong undercurrent kept her body from being found." While Naomi did not make it, the other people involved in the tragedy, which included Naomi's husband Kyle Linden Webster, survived.
Countless fans took the comment section of Naomi's last Instagram post shared on July 1, in which she was promoting her latest project titled Garden Party, to mourn her.
Naomi was going to host a dinner series titled Garden Party with restaurateur Luke Dirks this summer, according to Eater.
The black and white photo in Naomi's final upload on Instagram showed a group of people having a brightly lit dinner in the beautiful outdoors.
"I am shocked, this shows drowning deaths early every summer can really happen to anyone. My brother almost drown in the river too," one wrote under Naomi's pic. "Life jackets save lives. You are gone way too soon."
A second added, "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."
Another expressed, "Rest easy Naomi always a pleasure to have you wherever I was working. You were loved by so many and will be greatly missed."
Someone else wrote: "Sending so much love to your family. I’m devastated hearing you have passed. You’re an genius."
Amid all of the outpouring of love from fans, Naomi's family "has asked for privacy and has not announced plans for a memorial," according to Portland Monthly.
Chef Naomi is most-known for her time on Season 3 of Top Chef Masters. Earlier in her career she was acknowledged as the new chef to watch by magazines such as Food & Wine and Oprah. Ten years ago she won the James Beard Award for Best Chef Pacific Northwest after being nominated for the award three times.
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