Chef Damaris Phillips’ Husband Is Vegetarian, a Fan of Science, and Her Big Supporter

Chef Damaris Phillips’ husband is a strict vegetarian, and as such, the couple had an all-vegan menu on their wedding day. Besides that, her spouse is an education professional and her biggest supporter.

Phillips is an American celebrity chef famous for being the 2013 winner of “Food Network Star.” Following her triumph in the competition, she went on to host her cooking show, “Southern at Heart.”

The TV show ran for five seasons from 2013 until 2016. Since then, Phillips has appeared in several other cooking shows on the Food Network, including “Celebrity Food Fight” and “Guy’s Grocery Games.”

The reality TV star hails from Louisville, Kentucky, where she graduated from Jefferson Community and Technical College with a degree in culinary arts.

Phillips, one of five siblings, started cooking at a young age as she was responsible for feeding her large family once a week. Her first cookbook, “Southern Girl, Meets Vegetarian Boy,” was released in October 2017. It is based on her and her husband.

Chef Damaris Phillips is married to Darrick Wood, who has described himself as a “fan of science and math, but a true admirer of creativity and curiosity” on LinkedIn.

Wood has over 18 years of work experience in different learning developments. He is currently a Gallery Teaching Manager at Speed Art Museum.

Wood previously studied Hindi Language and Literature at the University of Michigan. He later studied Mathematics, Physics, and Philosophy at Earlham College and also obtained a qualification in Antioch Buddhist Studies Program at Antioch College.

He also describes himself as an “Enthusiastic teacher, trainer, writer, and speaker with excellent interpersonal program development skills.” Wood also works in radio and television, where he shares skills development.

Before his current job, he worked as a Curriculum Developer at Discovery Education and as a Creator and Host of one of his projects, “Inside A Question,” on 97.1 FM WXOX.

Wood’s “Inside A Question” project has an Instagram page, and it is described as a “Curiosity-based storytelling” program that airs on Sundays on the radio and has since been turned into a podcast.

Apart from his professional life with many job titles, Wood has been married to his famous wife, Damaris Phillips, for seven years. In a Facebook post from June 2017, she revealed:

“Darrick and I met at a wedding. […] He is a gift to me and my greatest source of joy.”

Wood proposed to Phillips by presenting her with 1,000 origami cranes made from ticket stubs, receipts, and notes that he had put away during their three-year courtship (actress Gwyneth Paltrow once said Brad Pitt’s proposal was also impressive).

The couple walked down the aisle in 2015 and strung the origami cranes together to create a backdrop hanging from a gazebo where they said, “I do.”

Wood is a strict vegetarian, so there was no meat for the duo’s nuptials. They opted for veggie-and-hummus sandwiches on Parmesan focaccia, including salads.

The wedding reception was for 235 people and occurred in the middle of a city street. In addition to the all-vegan menu, the bride and groom also had a 10-cake dessert buffet baked by them.

The pair reportedly wrote a top-three wedding wish list. Phillips wanted an outdoor ceremony with tables with mismatched vintage china and a parade-like procession. Meanwhile, he wanted family-style dining, a single table for each guest, and wanted everyone to bring a fork for the newlyweds to keep and use in their new life as husband and wife.

Phillips and Wood had the guests involved in their wedding, officiated by a mutual friend who introduced the two to each other. Speaking on their big day, she expressed:

“I was so excited to marry Darrick. I would have gone to the courthouse. But this was more fun – and a lot prettier.”

Phillips and Wood tied the knot in Willow Park, where they exchange wedding vows yearly as tradition but without guests. He revealed in an Instagram post in June 2019:

“I just got married for the FIFTH time! Every year, my wife @chefphillips and I get married. She gets a new dress; I wear the same suit. We read our vows. We kiss. We dance. We surprise ourselves with how crazy in love we are.”

The radio and television personalities do not yet have children, but they adopted stray cats. In January 2022, Phillips posted a video of the two pets (actress Margot Robbie and her spouse also do not have children and own two dogs).

Damaris Phillips and Wood’s social media accounts are filled with photos of the couple. They like attending events together and dressing up in funny costumes.

They recently went to the Derby, and Phillips donned a yellow outfit with a blue headpiece. Wood opted for a cream-white shirt and matched her look with yellow glasses as the pair beamed in a selfie shot.

The duo went all out for the April 2023 Easter Egg Hunt in costumes. Wood wore a white bunny onesie with red heart-shaped glasses, while Phillips rocked a long white dress with rainbow, trees, and flower prints. She paired her look with gold gloves and had a purple wig on.

The two showed how versatile they are when dressing up in theme when they sported formal looks while shadow dancing in March 2023. Phillips stunned in a black lace dress, while Wood opted for a red floral suit with a white and white tie.

Besides dressing up in style, Phillips promotes her husband’s work on her Instagram page. In July 2018, she posted a photo of him and wrote:

“This is my wonderful husband, @insideaquestion, and now I am going to shamelessly promote him and the big work he is doing. […] Of course, I love him and am proud of him, but today I am overcome by how inspiring he is to me.”

Phillips and her beloved husband have also recorded a Christmas album together, which she promoted on her Instagram in December 2019. It seems Wood reciprocates the support his wife gives him as he appeared alongside her on the “Guy’s Grocery Games” cooking show in February 2018.