“Top Chef Masters” star Naomi Pomeroy, 49, died in bizarre tubing accident in Oregon

World-famous chef and “Top Chef Masters” star Naomi Pomeroy died when she became trapped underwater while tubing with her husband and a friend on an Oregon river.

Pomeroy, 49, was traveling in an inflatable boat with her husband, Kyle Linden Webster, and another person on the Willamette River near Corvallis, Oregon, when the group became stuck on an “exposed obstruction in the water,” the Benton County Sheriff’s Office wrote in a statement Tuesday.

The popular chef was then pulled underwater and became caught on the leash of a paddleboard attached to her, leading to her drowning, officials said.

The trio had reportedly tied their inflatable boats and paddle board together before the incident.

The Corvallis Fire Department has not yet recovered Pomeroy’s body, while Webster and the third person were rescued on the shore – about 60 miles outside of Portland.

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

Rescue workers have combed parts of the 300-kilometer-long river with sonar, underwater cameras and drones, but heavy debris has hampered the search, officials said.

According to The Oregonian, Pomeroy became a figurehead of Portland’s culinary scene after opening the popular farm-to-table restaurant Beast in 2007.

Due to the success of her hit restaurant, Pomeroy won the coveted James Beard Award in 2014, which is given to the best chef in the Northwest.

The self-taught chef closed Beast in May 2020 but renamed the location Ripe Cooperative soon after. However, due to the rising costs of running the restaurant, she was forced to close it in October 2022, the outlet reported.

Pomeroy is best known for her appearance on the Bravo cooking show “Top Chef Masters” in 2011.

The renowned chef finished fourth in the third season of the show, for which Pomeroy received $26,800.

She later appeared on “Top Chef” as a guest judge and guest dinner host.

In recent years, Pomeroy co-owned the Expatriate cocktail bar in Portland with her husband.

According to The Oregonian, the chef also opened a new bistro-restaurant in the northwest city.

U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, who represents Oregon’s 3rd Congressional District, called the news of the death of the chef with whom he had worked closely during the pandemic “tragic.”

“Naomi was not only a fabulous cook and entrepreneur, but also an amazing human being,” Blumenauer said, according to the outlet.

“Her influence extended far beyond Portland and helped establish our leadership and reputation for food excellence. She will be greatly missed.”

Top Chef Masters contestant and author Mary Sue Milliken also shared a heartbreaking post after learning of Pomeroy’s sudden death.

“We are devastated to hear of the tragic loss of super talented chef Naomi Pomeroy. She and I bonded over the stressful cooking challenges on Season 3 of Top Chef Masters… my heart goes out to Kyle, August and all of their dear friends,” she posted on X on Tuesday.

According to KOIN, officials recovered a 13-year-old boy from the Willamette River on July 12 after a three-day search.

The teenager was playing in the water when he disappeared.