Naomi Pomeroy, former “Top Chef,” died in horrific dinghy accident

Naomi Pomeroy, one of the country’s most respected chefs and a veteran of the reality TV universe, died over the weekend in a rubber dinghy accident in Oregon’s Willamette River.

She was 49 years old.

According to a press release from the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, authorities are still searching for Pomeroy’s body.

The fatal incident occurred on July 13 at approximately 8:25 p.m. … when Pomeroy was strapped to a paddleboard while her husband, Kyle Linden Webster, and a third person were on tubes attached to each other.

When the group encountered strong currents near river mile 132 in Corvallis, Oregon, Pomeroy “was pulled underwater and was unable to free himself due to the paddleboard leash,” according to that official document.

When the Corvallis Fire Department arrived at the scene, they found Webster and the third person safely on shore. The same could not be said for Pomeroy, however.

Pomeroy appeared on Iron Chef and Season 3 of Top Chef Masters, where she placed fourth. She later served as a guest judge on Seasons 10, 15 and 18 of Top Chef.

“The Bravo and Top Chef family sends our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Chef Naomi Pomeroy,” the network said in a message shared on Twitter.

“Naomi was an outstanding chef who left a lasting mark on the culinary industry.”

Sheriff Van Arsdall said late Tuesday: “My goal is to find Naomi and bring her home to her family and loved ones.”

The Bravo and Top Chef family extends its deepest condolences to the family and friends of Chef Naomi Pomeroy. Naomi was an outstanding chef who left a lasting mark on the culinary industry.

— BravoTopChef (@BravoTopChef) July 16, 2024

Rescue workers have so far combed parts of the 300-kilometer-long river with sonar, underwater cameras and drones, but heavy debris is making the search a real challenge, officials confirmed this week.

Before her tragic death, Pomeroy was a big name in Oregon’s culinary scene after opening her first restaurant, Beast, in Portland in 2007.

Two years later, she was named one of Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs.

The former Bravo chef opened a cocktail bar in Portland called Expatriate with her husband in 2013 – and won a James Beard Award for “Best Female Chef in the Northwest and Pacific” the following year.

While Beast closed in 2020, Pomeroy transformed the space into a market and bistro called Ripe Cooperative, which closed in 2022.

She opened Cornet Custard, an ice cream parlor, in May and planned to open a French restaurant next door.

Fellow Top Chef Masters contestant and author Mary Sue Milliken shared an emotional social media post after learning of Pomeroy’s sudden death. She wrote online:

“We are devastated to hear of the tragic loss of super-talented chef Naomi Pomeroy. She and I bonded over stressful cooking challenges on Season 3 of Top Chef Masters…

“My heart goes out to Kyle, August and all their dear friends.”