‘Top Chef Masters’ Naomi Pomeroy Dead at 49 After Tubing Accident

Naomi Pomeroy, an award-winning chef who helped put Portland on the map as a culinary destination and starred on Top Chef Masters, has drowned in an inner tubing accident, authorities said. She was 49 years old.

On July 15, Pomeroy’s family confirmed that the chef is feared to have drowned while tubing on the Willamette River on July 13, according to Portland Monthly.

In a statement shared Tuesday by the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, it was reported that Pomeroy drowned Saturday evening in the river near Corvallis after the group she was tubing with got caught on an exposed snag in the water. Captain Chris Duffitt added that she was pulled underwater and trapped by a paddleboard leash attached to her. The group had tied their inner tubes and paddleboard together.

Authorities said they safely recovered the other two people on the shore and transported them to a boat launch. However, they are still trying to locate Naomi’s body. So far, they have searched the area using sonar, underwater cameras, and drones but have been unable to find it due to heavy debris.

“I am dedicated to locating Naomi to bring her home to her family and loved ones”, said Sheriff Van Arsdall. “I want to thank all involved in the search and recovery mission and support during this difficult time.”

The Oregon State Marine Board noted an “emerging trend” in recent years of people dying due to their stand-up paddleboard (SUP) leash getting tangled in brush or other debris in rivers. In the statement, they advised that people should refrain from tying themselves to a paddleboard unless they have a quick-release leash, as “[r]ivers are inherently dangerous with current[s] and hazards.”

Pomeroy was an esteemed Oregon-based chef who earned a James Beard Award for Best Chef Northwest in 2014. She rose to prominence in the Portland food scene after opening the restaurant Beast in 2007. There, diners enjoyed a six-course prix fixe dinner served at communal tables, centered around Pomeroy’s skill in butchering whole animals. This approach helped her become an icon of Portland’s DIY food scene.

The talented chef 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.

Just this June, she opened Cornet Custard, which started as a frozen custard pop-up in her flower shop Colibri. She also announced her fourth year of Garden Party, a seasonal restaurant only open in the summer.

Pomeroy is survived by her husband Kyle Webster and daughter August, 23.