“Top Chef Masters” Naomi Pomeroy dies at 49 after dinghy accident – ​​Hollywood Life

APRIL 1: (L-R) Gail Simmons, Chrsitina Grdovic and Naomi Pomeroy attend FOOD & WINE Magazine’s 2009 Best New Chefs Awards at City Winery NYC on April 1, 2009. (Photo by CHANCE YEH /Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)

The former “Top Chef Masters” star and award-winning chef died on July 13 at the age of 49 in a rubber dinghy accident.

Naomi PomeroyHer body was recovered four days after she drowned in a dinghy accident.

On Wednesday, the sheriff’s office released an update announcing that Pomeroy’s body had been found on the Willamette River, about a half-mile upstream from Hyak Park between Corvallis and Albany, Oregon. The update said canoeists on the river spotted a body and called 9-1-1, and it was later determined to be Pomeroy.

“Officers took Naomi to a funeral home and notified her family of the recovery,” authorities said.

Pomeroy had been missing since Saturday after spending a day rafting with her husband in Corvallis, Oregon. Kyle Linden-Websterand a third person.

The restaurant owner had tied herself to a paddleboard when it became caught on an “exposed tree stump in the water,” police said Tuesday.

“One of the adults, Naomi, was pulled underwater and was unable to free herself due to the paddleboard’s leash,” police said.

BCSO said Pomeroy was the first drowning victim of the year. In their initial statement, they advised not to tie yourself to a paddleboard unless you have a quick-release leash because “rivers are inherently dangerous due to their currents and hazards.”

Oregon Representative. Earl Blumenauer issued a statement on the tragedy on Monday.

“What a loss. Naomi was not only a great chef and entrepreneur, but also an amazing human being. Her influence extended far beyond Portland and helped establish our leadership and reputation for excellent cuisine. She will be greatly missed,” Blumenauer said.

The official X-Account for Top chef honored Pomeroy on Tuesday.

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

The original story continues below:

Naomi Pomeroyan award-winning chef who helped put Portland on the map as a culinary destination and the star was in Top chefdrowned in a rubber dinghy accident, authorities said. She was 49 years old.

On July 15, Pomeroy’s family confirmed that the cook likely drowned on July 13 while rafting on the Willamette River. Portland monthly.

In a statement released Tuesday by the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, Pomeroy drowned in the river near Corvallis on Saturday night after the group she was with on a raft became stuck on an obstacle in the water. captain Chris Duffitt added that she was pulled underwater and trapped by a paddleboard line attached to her. The group had tied their tubes and paddleboard together.

Authorities said they recovered the other two people safely on shore and brought them to a boat ramp. However, they are still trying to find Naomi’s body. So far, they have searched the area with sonar, underwater cameras and drones, but have not been able to find her due to heavy debris.

“I am determined to find Naomi and bring her home to her family and loved ones,” said Sheriff Van Arsdall“I would like to thank everyone involved in the search and recovery mission and for their support during this difficult time.”

The Oregon State Marine Board noted a “new trend” in recent years of people dying because their stand-up paddleboard (SUP) leash became tangled in brush or other debris in rivers. The statement advised not to tie yourself to a paddleboard unless a quick-release leash is present because “rivers are inherently dangerous due to their currents and hazards.”

Pomeroy was a respected Oregon chef who won the 2014 James Beard Award for Best Female Chef in the Northwest. She rose to prominence in Portland’s dining scene after opening Beast in 2007. There, diners enjoyed a six-course prix fixe meal served at communal tables that featured Pomeroy’s skill at butchering whole animals. This approach made her an icon of Portland’s DIY food scene.

The talented chef was also named one of America’s 10 Best New Chefs by Food & Wine magazine and one of the 18 Most Influential Women in Business by Marie Claire.

Just this June, she opened Cornet Custard, which began as a pop-up shop for frozen custard inside her flower shop Colibri, and announced the fourth year of Garden Party, a seasonal restaurant open only during the summer.

Pomeroy leaves behind her husband Kyle Webster and daughter August23.