Celebrity Chef Profile: Paula Deen

Paula Deen was born on January 19, 1947 in Albany, Georgia. Soon after her parents died and she divorced from her high school sweetheart, she moved to Savannah, where she and her two sons started the Bag Lady Catering Company, a home-based meal delivery service.

The business quickly became a success and led to the opening of her Savannah-based restaurant, The Lady and Sons, which she also started with her two sons Bobby and Jamie.

Paula’s down to earth style and warm Southern charm (along with her popular cooking style) made her an instant hit. The strength of her first restaurant led to the opening of a second restaurant, Uncle Bubba’s Seafood, co-owned with her brother.

Paula’s popularity led her to publish her first cookbook, The Lady and Sons Savannah Country Cookbook, in 1998. This book, in turn, got Paula her first television appearance on QVC. Once again, her warm personality and folksy manner made her an instant hit with viewers.

But it wasn’t until 2002 when Paula got her first show “Paula’s Home Cooking” on the Food Network that she became a household name. Four years later “Paula’s Party” debuted on the same network and also featured here two sons, Bobby and Jamie. Paula currently has two shows running on the Food Network: “Paula’s Best Dishes,” and “Paula’s Home Cooking.” She is a two-time Emmy Award winner.

Paula Deen’s bestselling cookbooks have sold over 8 million copies worldwide. They include:

Paula Deen’s Southern Cooking Bible (2011)

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Paula Deen’s Savannah Style (2010)

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Paula Deen’s The Deen Family Cookbook (2009)

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Paula Deen: It Ain’t All About the Cookin’ (2009)

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Paula Deen’s Cookbook For The Lunch-box Set (2009)

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Paula Deen’s My First Cookbook (2008)