Naomi Pomeroy, a star of “Top Chef Masters” and award-winning chef, has died in a water skiing accident on an Oregon river.

Naomi Pomroy, an award-winning chef who helped put Portland on the map as a culinary destination and appeared on “Top Chef Masters,” drowned in an inner tube accident, authorities said. She was 49.

Pomeroy drowned Saturday evening in the Willamette River near Corvallis after the group she was swimming with became stuck in the water by an exposed obstacle. The Benton County Sheriff’s Office said Capt. Chris Davitt said Pomeroy was pulled underwater and tangled in the rope of her paddleboard. The group had tied their inner tubes and paddleboard together.

Authorities said they were able to safely pull two other people from the beach and transfer them to a boat to sail.

The sheriff’s office said it is still working to recover Pomeroy’s body. It has searched the area using sonar, underwater cameras and drones but has been unable to find her due to heavy debris.

“I am committed to locating Naomi and returning her home to her family and loved ones,” Sheriff Jeff Van Arsdale said in a statement. statement“I would like to thank everyone involved in the search and recovery mission and support during this difficult time.”

The sheriff’s office warned people not to strap themselves to a paddleboard unless it has a quick-release strap, and advised against tying two or more inner tubes together, because doing so would mean each person would have to have a life jacket.

The Oregon Marine Commission noted an “emerging trend” in recent years of people dying because the leash on their stand-up paddleboard became entangled in brush or other debris in rivers.

“Most ankle straps used by paddleboarders are not designed for quick-release,” Brian Paulsen, the agency’s boating safety program manager, said in a statement Tuesday. Quick-release straps, designed for use in moving water, are worn around the waist, he added.

Pomeroy gained notoriety in the Portland food scene after opening Beast in 2007. Diners can enjoy a six-course, fixed-price dinner served at communal tables, which is designed around Pomeroy’s penchant for butchering whole animals.

The restaurant paved the way for Pomeroy to win the prestigious James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Northwest in 2014, around the same time that Portland was rising in popularity as a tourist destination for its food scene, natural beauty and quirky reputation. The restaurant closed during the coronavirus pandemic, but Pomeroy recently opened a new frozen custard shop.

Pomroy was also known for her appearances on cooking shows, including “Top Chef Masters,” and owned the Portland cocktail bar Expatriate with her husband. The bar closed Monday, CBS affiliate KOIN-TV Mourners reportedly left flowers and mementos outside the workplace.

Heather Walberg, who owns a restaurant across from Expatriate and has worked in the industry for more than a decade, told KOIN-TV that Pomeroy “made the Portland food scene what it is today.” She said she reached out to Expatriate to offer any help they needed.

Pomeroy’s sudden passing “reminds you of the fragility of life,” she said.

“She was a great cook,” Portland food blogger Gary Okazaki told the station. “When they write the history of Portland’s culinary scene, she’ll have her own chapter.”

U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer of Oregon issued a statement calling Pomeroy’s death a tragic loss.

“Naomi was not only an amazing chef and entrepreneur, she was an amazing human being,” Blumenauer said. “Her impact went far beyond Portland, helping to establish our leadership and reputation for food excellence. She will be greatly missed.”