'Top Chef Masters' Alum Naomi Pomeroy Dead At Age 49 After Freak Accident

Naomi Pomeroy, known for her time on "Top Chef Masters," has sadly passed away from a freak tubing accident. She was 49.

In a press release on Tuesday, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office reported that the late chef was enjoying a day on the Willamette River in Corvallis, Oregon, with her husband, Kyle Linden Webster, and another person when she was pulled into the currents.

Police have yet to recover the body of Naomi Pomeroy following the tubing accident.

According to Page Six, the local fire department has rescued the other two members of the group to safety on the shore. However, authorities have yet to recover Pomeroy’s body. The search is ongoing.

“An investigation by BCSO determined three adults recreating on tubes and a paddle board (two tubes were secured together and the paddle board was attached to Naomi), became entangled on an exposed snag in the water,” the police department shared. “One of the adults, Naomi, was pulled under the water and unable to free herself due to the paddleboard leash.”

According to the sheriff's office, Pomeroy was the first drowning victim of the year.

“BCSO deputies searched the area using all available tools, including sonar, underwater cameras, and drones, but were unable to locate any signs of Naomi in the area due to heavy debris in the water,” the statement from the local police department said.

“This Office is dedicated to locating Naomi and bringing her home to her family and loved ones,” Sheriff Van Arsdall said in the statement. “I want to thank all involved in the search and recovery mission during this difficult time."

After hearing the tragic news, many shared their condolences. "She was a rock star chef," Portland food blogger Gary Okazaki said, per CBS. "When they write the history of the Portland culinary scene, she's going to have her own chapter."

"Naomi was not just a fabulous chef and entrepreneur, but an amazing human being," U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer from Oregon said. "Her impact went far beyond Portland, helping establish our leadership and reputation for food excellence. She will be greatly missed."

Chef Tom Colicchio took to X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, to share, "Just horrible news, we lost another great chef. My heart goes out to Naomi’s family."

Bravo shared the following statement: "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."

In 2007, Naomi opened a restaurant called Beast in Portland, Oregon. Unfortunately, it closed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She then used the space to open Ripe Cooperative, a marketplace selling meal boxes for customers to finish at home until 2022.

"Two weeks ago, Beast, our 13-year-old beloved Restaurant, became @ripecooperative," Pomeroy wrote at the time in an Instagram post. "I like her A WHOLE LOT. But that doesn’t mean it’s been easy."

She went on to admit she's "not a natural at relating to people only online" because she likes the physical interaction with her customers, but she was thankful to be back at work following the pandemic. "We are back at work, we ARE cooking- and you ARE enjoying!!!" she wrote. "We heard hundreds of stories, of the success people had at home- and the joy they felt learning by watching our videos and feeling that connection we all desperately miss."

In 2011, she competed on "Iron Chef," where she lost to Chef Jose Garces.

She went on to serve as a guest judge on the television series "Knife Fight" in 2014 and released a cookbook in 2016 titled, "Taste & Technique: Recipes to Elevate Your Home Cooking."

Pomeroy was also a guest judge on season 2 of "Bobby's Triple Threat" in 2023.