Top Chef Star Naomi Pomeroy's Death Has The Food World Shaken

Naomi Pomeroy, a recurring judge on the Bravo series "Top Chef," has unexpectedly passed away at the age of 49 after a tubing accident on the Willamette River in western Oregon, as reported by The New York Times. Her husband and fellow restauranteur, Kyle Linden Webster, and their friend hit a partly submerged branch while floating down the river on Saturday afternoon. The collision knocked each of them off of their floats — two inner tubes and a paddle board that they tied together — but Pomeroy was the only one who didn't make it to shore.

Her death was reported on July 15, with official statements indicating that she drowned due to her paddle board leash becoming tangled underwater. As of July 17, rescuers from the Benton County Sheriff's Office continue the search for her body. Strong currents prevented rescuers from recovering her, but the rescue personnel continue to search the area using sonar technology, underwater cameras, and drones. Efforts have so far been unsuccessful due to the amount of heavy debris in the river, but the search team remains determined.

Ms. Pomeroy is widely credited with sowing the seeds of Portland's restaurant scene. Her early career is characterized by a series of supper clubs she hosted with her first husband, inspiring the wider early 2000's pop-up restaurant craze. She leaves behind their daughter August, her parents, stepmother, and two brothers.

Pomeroy's early success was shaken when her first husband ran off to Mexico, leaving her with their child, a financially imploded restaurant empire, a host of angry investors, and nearly 100 employees to take care of. Upon a meeting with key figures, it was decided that two of the three restaurants and the catering business — all of which she'd spent the past two years managing and cooking for — would close that day, leaving just Clarklewis standing. But none of that was enough for Pomeroy to give up on Portland or her career. 

Pomeroy continued to host Sunday night pop-up suppers at Clarklewis until eventually opening her own restaurant, Beast, just a year later, drawing a new generation of women chefs to Portland and catalyzing the next era of her culinary career. By 2009, she was named one of America's Best New Chefs by Food & Wine. A James Beard award soon followed, as well as a memorable performance on "Iron Chef" in 2010. She went on to compete on "Top Chef Masters," became a recurring judge on "Top Chef," publish her cookbook "Taste & Technique: Recipes to Elevate Your Home Cooking," and helped start the Independent Restaurant Coalition. Pomeroy last cooked publicly on July 12 as part of a summer dinner series called Garden Party. While Beast closed during the peak of the pandemic, Expatriate (a restaurant she owned with Webster) and Cornet Custard (which she opened with Mika Paredes) are still running.