- Paula Deen
Infobox Chef
name = Paula Deen
caption = Paula Deen in apublic service announcement forCivitan International .
birthdate = birth date and age|1947|1|19
birthplace =Albany, Georgia ,United States
style = Southern
education =
ratings =
restaurants = The Lady & Sons Restaurant, Uncle Bubba's Oyster House
television = "Paula's Home Cooking " (2002–present)
"Paula's Party " (2006–present)
"Paula's Best Dishes" (2008–present)
awards = 2007 Emmy for Outstanding Lifestyle Host
2007 Emmy for Outstanding Lifestyle Program
website =Paula Deen (born Paula Ann Hiers on
January 19 ,1947 ) is an Americancook ,restaurateur , andEmmy Award -winning television personality.Deen resides in
Savannah, Georgia , where she ownsThe Lady & Sons restaurant and runs it with her sons, Jamie and Bobby. She has also published fivecookbook s. On her television shows and in her books and appearances, she uses thesurname Deen from her first marriage.Early life
Born in
Albany, Georgia . As documented in the Food Network special "Chefography " and her official website, both her parents died by the time she was 23, and her husband decided to move away. Deen hadagoraphobia and would not leave her house. She was a proficient Southern cook, a talent she used to help her deal with her condition. In 1986, she felt well enough to take a job as abank teller . After the family moved to Savannah in 1989, she divorced her husband and expanded her cooking experience into a catering service. [ [http://www.ladyandsons.com/paula2.php The Lady & Sons - Paula Deen - Home Cooking, Fried Chicken, Collard Greens & Fried Tomatoes - Savannah, Georgia ] ] She made sandwiches and other meals, which her sons Jamie and Bobby delivered.The Bag Lady (as the business was named) was successful, and soon outgrew her kitchen. On
January 8 ,1996 , she opened her own restaurant, The Lady and Sons, in downtown Savannah on West Congress Street. Within a few years, the restaurant moved to a larger building in Savannah's historic district. "USA Today " named The Lady and Sons the "International Meal of the Year" in 1999. The specialty is the buffet,Fact|date=February 2008 which may include sweet potatoes, macaroni and cheese, friedtwinkie s, fried chicken, cheesy meatloaf, greens, beans, and creamed corn. Every meal comes with a garlic cheese biscuit and one of Deen's famoushoecake s. The restaurant is run by her sons when they are in town.Books
In 1997, Deen self-published "The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cooking" and "The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cooking 2". The cookbooks were each filled with traditional Southern recipes, such as Gooey Butter Cake (also known as Chess Cake, a variation of a
chess pie recipe). The cookbooks were very successful, and she has since published two more. Deen has appeared onQVC and on "The Oprah Winfrey Show " (first in 2002 and then twice in 2007). Her story is featured in "Extraordinary Comebacks: 201 Inspiring Stories of Courage, Triumph, and Success" (2007, Sourcebooks). Her latest book is the 2007 memoir "Paula Deen: It Ain't All About the Cookin".Food Network
Deen's relationship with Food Network began in 1999, when her friend Erin Lewis introduced her to
Gordon Elliott ,Fact|date=December 2007 who then introduced her to her agent, Barry Weiner. Elliott took her through the city for a series of "Doorknock Dinners " episodes. She also appeared on "Ready, Set, Cook! " Deen was invited to shoot a pilot named "Afternoon Tea" in early 2001. The network liked it, but didn't yet have a place for her. The network eventually gave Deen her own show, "Paula's Home Cooking ", which premiered in November 2002.Fact|date=December 2007.Personal life
Deen remarried on
March 6 ,2004 , to Michael Groover, atugboat pilot in theport of Savannah. Michael has two children, Michelle and Anthony, from a previous marriage. The wedding and preparation were documented by Food Network, and aired in 2004.Deen has one grandchild, Jack, who was born
August 21 ,2006 to Jamie and Brooke Deen.In April 2007,
Simon & Schuster published Deen's memoir, "It Ain't All About the Cookin"'.Panic attacks
In her twenties, Deen suffered from
panic attack s related toagoraphobia , eventually becoming virtually housebound. She overcame the illness without therapy. [ [http://panicdisorder.about.com/od/famouspeople/p/pauladeen.htm Paula Deen - Agoraphobia and Paula Deen ] ]Film debut
Deen made her film debut in "Elizabethtown", starring
Orlando Bloom andKirsten Dunst . She plays the aunt of Bloom's character, and her cooking is showcased heavily. The film premiered onOctober 8 ,2005 . A Food Network special, "Paula Goes Hollywood", aired in conjunction with the film's premiere. [ [http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_sp/episode/0,,FOOD_9994_40480,00.html TV : Food Network Specials : Paula Goes to Hollywood : Food Network ] ]"Cooking with Paula Deen"
Deen launched a lifestyle magazine called "Cooking with Paula Deen" in November 2005.
Television
"
Paula's Home Cooking " was originally taped inMillbrook, New York at the home ofGordon Elliott , the show's executive producer. [ [http://www.sptimes.com/2004/09/08/Taste/Deen_of_the_kitchen.shtml Taste: Deen of the kitchen ] ] [ [http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/travel/3731009.html 404 Error, No such article | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle ] ] Deen mentioned in an interview aired on theMarch 13 ,2006 , edition of "The Daily Buzz " that the next batch of episodes of her show would be taped at her home inSavannah, Georgia . According to the first of those episodes, actual production at her new Savannah home began in November 2005.A televised biography of Deen was aired on an episode of the Food Network's "
Chefography " program in March 2006.Deen's most recent series, "
Paula's Party ", premiered on theFood Network in 2006.In December 2007, Deen teamed with
Cat Cora and faced ChefsTyler Florence andRobert Irvine in battle Sugar on the holiday special of "Iron Chef America ". Deen and Cora won."
Paula's Best Dishes " debuted on the Food Network onJune 8 ,2008 .In May 2008, Deen announced at the Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining Show that she signed a deal to host a talk show beginning in September 2009. [ [http://www.inherwords.com/2008/05/04/paula-deens-talk-show/ Paula Deen’s Talk Show | in her words ] ]
Deen has appeared in
public service announcement s forCivitan International . [ [http://link5.streamhoster.com/?u=civitan&p=%2Fpauladeen.wmv&odaid=1930 Paula Deen PSAs] ]Awards
In June 2007, Deen won two
Daytime Emmy Awards (Outstanding Lifestyle Host and Outstanding Lifestyle Program) for "Paula's Home Cooking". [ [http://www.emmyonline.org/mediacenter/daytime_34th_creative_winners.html The Emmy Awards - Winners of The Creative Arts Entertainment emmy awards ] ]References
External links
*
* [http://www.ladyandsons.com/ The Lady & Sons Restaurant]
* [http://www.unclebubbas.com/ Uncle Bubba's Oyster House]
* [http://www.pauladeenmagazine.com Cooking with Paula Deen Official Magazine Website]
*
* [http://media.tbo.com/tbo/mp3/2007/070307table.mp3 TBO.com Table Conversations podcast with Paula Deen]
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