Naomi Pomeroy, a renowned chef and restaurateur from Portland, has tragically passed away at 49.
On July 15, Pomeroy’s family confirmed to Portland Monthly that she drowned in a tubing accident. The Benton County Sheriff’s Office reported on July 16 that the accident occurred on July 13 in the Willamette River, Oregon. During the outing, Pomeroy, her husband Kyle Linden Webster, and a friend became entangled in an “exposed snag in the water” while tubing and paddleboarding. Pomeroy was pulled underwater and unable to free herself due to the “paddleboard leash.”
Members of the Corvallis Fire Department rescued Webster and the friend, but Pomeroy could not be found immediately. The sheriff’s office initiated a land and water search to locate her. Sheriff Van Arsdall expressed the office's commitment to finding Naomi and bringing her home.
On July 17, around 10:00 a.m., Pomeroy’s body was discovered in the Willamette River, approximately half a mile upstream of Hyak Park. Canoeists spotted her and alerted authorities. Marine deputies found her body on a shallow bedrock section near the river's middle. Pomeroy was later identified and her family was notified.
Naomi Pomeroy, a self-taught cook, gained fame after opening her acclaimed Portland restaurant Beast in 2007. Her culinary excellence earned her the Oregonian’s Restaurant of the Year in 2008, and she was named one of Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs in 2009. In 2013, she and her husband opened the cocktail bar Expatriate, and in 2014, Pomeroy won a James Beard award for Best Chef: Northwest and Pacific. She was also recognized for her essay in Eater about her experiences in the restaurant industry, particularly in light of the #MeToo movement.
After Beast closed in 2020, Pomeroy transformed the space into Ripe Cooperative, a market and bistro, which closed in 2022. She appeared on “Iron Chef” and “Top Chef Masters,” and served as a guest judge on “Top Chef” in multiple seasons. Bravo and “Top Chef” expressed their condolences, calling her a powerhouse chef who left an indelible mark on the culinary industry.
In May, Pomeroy opened Cornet Custard with Mika Paredes and had plans for a French restaurant next door. Tributes from fellow chefs like Tom Colicchio, Dominique Crenn, Andrew Zimmern, and Amanda Freitag poured in, highlighting her creativity, commitment, and influence.
Former “Top Chef” host Padma Lakshmi also paid tribute, remembering Pomeroy as an inspiring presence. "She was always a welcome presence at the judges' table, and I was blessed to know this incredible woman. My condolences to her loved ones; what an incredible loss to our community," Lakshmi wrote.