Philly area woman a national finalist in Best Family Recipe contest

Lisa Keys' Meringue Kissed Lemon Pudding Pie among tops in United States

Lisa Keys delivered a TedX Talk in 2019, sharing her journey as a cook and mother. A resident of Kennett Square, Keys is a finalist in the America's Best Family Recipe Contest 2020 held by Eggland's Best.
TEDx Talks/YouTube

A Chester County woman is among five finalists in a national contest to determine the best family recipe in the United States — and she's appealing to America's sweet tooth.

Kennett Square-based chef Lisa Keys, a former champion on Food Network's "Chopped," recently won the Eggland's Best regional competition with her Meringue Kissed Lemon Pudding Pie with Wild Berry Jam. She'll now be vying against four others for a $10,000 prize in the annual contest.

I’m honored and grateful to say my pie won the regional finals and is now up for voting nationally. Please vote for my pie ❤️

Posted by Lisa Keys on Wednesday, November 11, 2020

Keys has a blog, Good Grief Cook, where she shares various home recipes and writes about the healing power of food. She's a former physician assistant who began entering her original recipes in contests in 1990. She's since become a certified food judge. 

The other finalists in the contest are as follows:

• Saltimbocca Deviled Eggs — Renata S., from Oregon

• Cardamom Pecan-Crusted Blackberry Streusel Mascarpone Lemon Bars with Basil Glitter — Leah L., from Oklahoma

• Hungarian Chicken and Dumplings — Donna B., from Michigan

• Muffaletta Strata — Lisa B., from Tennessee

The contest is judged by a panel including Jeff Mauro of Food Network's "The Kitchen" and Dawn Jackson, a registered dietician and nutritionist.

Voting is open from Nov. 11 through Nov. 25. The contest winner will be announced on or around Dec. 15.

Last year, Keys delivered a TEDx Talk about recovering from the death of her son, William, a Navy corpsman who served in Afghanistan and later lost his life as a result of complications from sleep deprivation. His death inspired her to start her blog, use her recipes to honor him and bring people together with food.