TV chef Naomi Pomeroy has died after suffering a horrific tubing accident on a notoriously dangerous river in Oregon.
The former Top Chef Masters contestant, 50, was with her husband and a friend on the Willamette River near Corvallis on Saturday evening when tragedy struck.
Pomeroy was tied to her two companions who were also tubing when all three struck a tree in the water and the chef was thrown underwater.
Her husband Kyle Linden Webster and the friend resurfaced, but Pomeroy was nowhere to be seen.
The Benton County Sheriff’s Office confirmed her body was recovered from the water close to Corvallis around 8.25pm Saturday.
TV chef Naomi Pomeroy has died after suffering a horrific tubing accident on a river in Oregon, her family has confirmed
Authorities said a strong undercurrent prevented officials from immediately finding her body.
Pomeroy was not wearing a life jacket at the time, according to KEZI9 News.
It comes just weeks after another horrific tubing accident on the same stretch of the Willamette River.
Kaileigh Seidel, 24, died on June 22 after the driver of the boat turned too fast and slammed her into another vessel while she was in the ring, police said.
Her friend Millie Lovea, who was on board watching helplessly, blamed the driver for driving too fast and failing to listen to Seidel’s pleas to slow down.
Pomeroy was remembered as a pioneering force for the Portland food scene by close friends.
Gary Okazaki, a fan of Pomeroy’s communal restaurant called Beast which offered live viewings of her performing magic tricks in the open kitchen, remembered her as ‘a rock star chef’.
The former Top Chef Masters contestant was having fun with her husband and a friend on the Willamette River on Saturday evening when tragedy struck. (Pomeroy pictured with her spouse Kyle Linden Webster)
Pomeroy was tied to her two companions who were also tubing at the time when all three struck a tree in the water and the chef was submerged
Pictured: Pomeroy on Walt Disney Television series The Taste alongside
‘When they write the history of the Portland culinary scene, she’s going to have her own chapter,’ he told KOIN6.
‘It was it was her personality, the cult of personality of Naomi. Just the magnetism. When she was around, you could feel it,’ Okazaki added.
‘Diners flocked to Beast, and at one point it was considered maybe the best restaurant in Portland.’
Pomeroy was one of the founders behind the Independent Restaurant Coalition, a group calling on Congress to pass a $120 billion fund to help struggling restaurants.
Oregon Congressman Earl Blumenauer, who worked with Pomeroy to support restaurants during the coronavirus pandemic, also paid tribute.
‘What a loss. Naomi was not just a fabulous chef and entrepreneur, but an amazing human being,’ Blumenauer said in a statement.
‘Her impact went far beyond Portland, helping establish our leadership and reputation for food excellence. She will be greatly missed.’
The James Beard Award winner was having fun with her husband and a friend on the Willamette River outside of Portland on Saturday evening when tragedy struck. (Pomeroy pictured with her spouse Kyle Linden Webster)
TV chef Naomi Pomeroy has died in a horrific tubing accident outside of Portland, Oregon
Pomeroy had no formal culinary or business training. She developed her skills by watching other chefs on television, and created her first recipe aged just four.
After launching her first restaurant, Beast, in Portland, she launched Gotham Tavern and Gotham Coffee shop with Michael Hebb.
Pomeroy starred on Top Chef Masters in 2011, and won the James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Pacific Northwest in 2014.