Louisville celebrity chef to receive 2020 Edison Award

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – Louisville celebrity chef Damaris Phillips will be awarded the 2020 Thomas A. Edison Award in January.

Phillips will receive the award from Greater Louisville Inc. (GLI) on Jan. 23 during a ceremony at the Kentucky International Convention Center. The Thomas A. Edison Award was created in 2001 to recognize an outstanding former Louisville resident who has successfully pursued their career while keeping their Louisville roots close to their heart.

“GLI recognizes chef Damaris Phillips as a global ambassador for Louisville's unique culinary scene, which has a locally made, farm-to-table focus influenced by culinary adventure and the diverse neighborhood flavors of Vietnamese, Italian, French and Korean cuisines,” said Kent Oyler, president and CEO of GLI.

Phillips graduated from Jefferson Community and Technical College with a degree in culinary arts. As one of five kids, she learned to cook at an early age and was responsible for cooking one night a week for her large family.

Phillips can now be seen on the Food Network co-hosting the Bobby Damaris Show with Bobby Flay and Southern & Hungry with Rutledge Wood. Phillips is the 2013 winner of Food Network Star, where she impressed judges with her fresh take on Southern cuisine.

She hosted her own show, Southern at Heart, for five seasons. Phillips has also appeared in on the Food Network shows Guy's Grocery Games, Kids BBQ Championship, Cooks vs. Cons, Bakers vs. Fakers and Celebrity Food Fight.

Unlike some awards, the Thomas. A. Edison Award is not presented annually.