“Top Chef Masters” star drowns in dinghy accident

Naomi Pomeroy, a chef who appeared on cooking shows such as “Top Chef Masters,” drowned in a rubber dinghy accident, officials said. She was 49 years old.

The Benton County Sheriff’s Office announced in a news release Tuesday that the search continues for Pomeroy, who is believed to have drowned in Oregon’s Willamette River on Saturday.

An investigation determined Pomeroy was pulled underwater after she and two other adults became entangled on inner tubes and a paddleboard, the release said. Officials said Pomeroy was unable to free herself due to the paddleboard leash.

Members of the Corvallis Fire Department recovered the other two adults from shore and brought them safely to a boat ramp, but officials were unable to recover Pomeroy, according to the sheriff’s office.

“This office is committed to finding Naomi and bringing her home to her family and loved ones,” said Sheriff Van Arsdall. “I want to thank everyone involved in the search and recovery mission during this difficult time.”

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Pomeroy competed on Top Chef Masters in 2011. According to IMDb, she has also served as a guest judge on Top Chef and appeared on Iron Chef, The Taste, and Knife Fight.

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Born in Corvallis, Oregon, Pomeroy opened her restaurant Beast in Portland in 2007 and received the James Beard Foundation Award as Best Female Chef in the Northwest in 2014.

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