Culinary star Naomi Pomeroy's body found after drowning

July 18 (UPI) -- Naomi Pomeroy's body was located Thursday, several days after the culinary star drowned in Oregon's Willamette River.

Pomeroy, a Portland, Ore., chef who appeared on Top Chef Masters , Iron Chef and Top Chef , was tubing Saturday with husband Kyle Linden Webster and a friend when she became trapped under the water and died. She was 49 years old.

Benton County Sheriff's Office deputies said Pomeroy's body was spotted Thursday morning by someone in a canoe.

"The Bravo and Top Chef family send our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Chef Naomi Pomeroy," a Bravo Top Chef social media post reads. "Naomi was a powerhouse chef who made an indelible mark on the culinary industry."

The Bravo and Top Chef family send our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Chef Naomi Pomeroy. Naomi was a powerhouse chef who made an indelible mark on the culinary industry.— Bravo Top Chef (@BravoTopChef) July 16, 2024

In addition to her television appearances, Pomeroy was a James Beard Award winner and a big name in Portland's culinary community. She and Webster opened their cocktail lounge Expatriate in 2013, and she opened a custard shop with a friend earlier this year.

"She was more at peace in the last six months than she ever was before," Webster told The New York Times . "She said she had done everything she was put here to do."

Amanda Freitag of Chopped and Iron Chef America mourned Pomeroy's passing on X .

"I was always inspired by her extreme creativity and commitment to her craft. She was always ahead of the curve and stood strong for everything she believed about what was the proper way to feed people good food and support her culinary community," Freitag said in a series of posts. "...A legend is gone. Rest in peace, chef, thank you."

Her mark on this world is indelible. I will not forget her, we will not forget the many generations she has influenced and changed. A legend is gone. Rest in Peace Chef, thank you, — Amanda Freitag (@amandafreitag) July 16, 2024