Damaris Phillips Beat Bobby Flay With This Comfort-Food Casserole

Bobby Flay sure knows how to throw down, but one particular check in the “loss” column was particularly painful, as it came courtesy of one of Bobby’s BFFs: Damaris Phillips.

Their bond began on Season 9 of Food Network Star. Bobby was a mentor, and Damaris stole hearts and ended up winning with her “Southern at Heart” angle — and the foundation of a long friendship was formed. In 2017, they teamed up for The Bobby and Damaris Show. (Although that was nearly a decade ago, I’m still dreaming about the Giant Bourbon-Cherry Toaster Tart Pie they created together!)

That same year, Damaris appeared on Beat Bobby Flay and took the show name literally, winning with a dish that we’re much more familiar with seeing on mom or grandma’s dinner menu than on the tasting panel of a cooking show. But, turns out, dishing up a dose of home cooking might just be the sweetest path to victory.

The Food Network Stars Fight Back

“Honestly, there’s one little spot on my résumé that hasn’t been filled in yet, and that’s ‘having buried Bobby Flay alive with a dish of my choosing,’” Season 8 Food Network Star winner Justin Warner teased.

Bobby attempted to guess what dish Damaris might challenge him to, and tuna casserole certainly wasn’t on his bingo card. “My guess is we’re making biscuits if you win?”

Damaris smiled at Bobby and said, “And a wedding cake!” To which Bobby replied, without hesitation: “I quit.” (During Season 1 of Throwdown With Bobby Flay, the chef lost a wedding cake battle to baker Michelle Doll. He’s not quite over that yet.)

Before either Star could challenge Bobby, they had to compete against each other. And Bobby wasn’t going to take it easy on them. His curveball mandatory ingredient? Persimmons.

Victory Is Sweet

Due to persimmons' subtle sweet flavor, “it’s going to be a challenge to make the star of the dish,” Bobby said as Damaris and Justin grabbed ingredients for their creations.

Damaris and Justin weren’t daunted, though. Declaring them “delicious” after sampling a bite, Damaris decided on Spiced Hoe Cake With Salted Persimmon Jam. “It’s going to be Beat Damaris next season,” she said confidently as she dove into recipe prep.

Simultaneously, Justin was jiving with the featured fruit, as he had recently fallen in love with it while traveling throughout Japan. His dish du jour? Head-on Shrimp With a Trio of Persimmon Accoutrement.

Although it was a close competition, the judges declared Damaris’ persimmon jam “dope,” and she progressed to the next round. “Wreck him like I would,” Justin said as he gracefully bowed out.

The Casserole Competition Begins

With Bobby and Damaris going toe-to-toe, Bobby inquired about what recipe his “Southern at Heart” pal had her heart set on. As she revealed that it’s Tuna Noodle Casserole, Bobby immediately shook his head in disbelief — while Damaris broke out into a confident and joyful dance. “It’s budget-friendly, it feeds [a crowd], you can hide vegetables in it,” Damaris said. “I’ve been making this since I came out of my mother’s womb,” she joked.

Bobby was reeling and admitted this is “not my favorite kind of dish.” Still, he quickly landed on a concept: Wild Mushroom Tuna Noodle Casserole With Salt and Vinegar Potato Chips. To bring out the earthiness in the mushrooms and accentuate the flavor of the tuna, Bobby spiked his sauteed mushroom mixture with anchovies. And to take his cozy casserole to the next level, he whipped up homemade dill-seasoned potato chips.

As for Damaris, she opted for Smoked Tuna Noodle Casserole With Herbed Potato Chip Crunch. Smoked Gruyère cheese and campanelle noodles (which “look like little tornadoes” and have enough crevices to capture ample sauce, according to Damaris).

Bobby’s plating came down to the wire, but both chefs finished just in time — and shared a friendly hug. Behind the scenes and before the final verdict, Damaris honestly reflected, “It is not easy to beat him. How do I get myself into this?!”

The Final Verdict

The vital votes were in the hands of three judges. Both tuna noodle casseroles were well-executed, according to the tasters; however, in Bobby’s recipe, the mushrooms and mustard overpowered the tuna, they said. Plus, it’s rich on rich, and could have used some acid for relief.

On the flip side, they deemed Damaris’ dish “finessed” and delightful in terms of its smokiness, but a bit dry.

Although their feedback seemed down the middle, the decision was unanimous: “Bobby Flay, you have been beaten!”

“Four years ago, I could barely talk to Bobby Flay. Much less slay him,” Damaris said as she celebrated.

The Victorious Tuna Casserole

The recipe is such a winner, in fact, that Damaris still relies on it to this day — and wants us all to be able to savor a serving. So back in 2021, Damaris took to social media to coach us through exactly how she makes it, a process she also shares in the best-selling cookbook Beat Bobby Flay: Conquer the Kitchen With 100+ Battle-Tested Recipes.

Start by cooking and draining noodles. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute onions, celery and mushrooms. Once they’re fragrant and tender, add red pepper flakes, flour and stock. Next, cream, soy sauce, sherry vinegar and minced garlic join the party. Once this cooks down enough to coat the back of a spoon, fold in tuna, frozen peas, shredded smoked Gruyère cheese and fresh parsley. Toss the noodles back in and season to taste. Then, all that’s left to do is dump this all in a baking dish, shower it with a combo of crumbled chips, bread crumbs, melted butter and grated Parmesan cheese, then bake until golden and bubbly.

Damaris certainly slayed Bobby with this cozy casserole. And now that we’ve taken a bite of her winning recipe, Damaris has slayed us, too.