What is Paula Deen’s Net Worth and Salary?
Paula Deen, a popular American restauranteur, author, and television personality, has a net worth of $12 million. Known for her indulgent cooking style, she has released many successful cookbooks and hosted several cooking shows. Despite criticism for her recipes’ high fat, salt, and sugar content, she remains popular with middle America and has won a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Lifestyle Host. Controversy has surrounded her at times, including accusations of racism and awkward apologies.
Early Life and Career
Paula Ann Hiers was born in Albany, Georgia, in 1947. She was raised Baptist and turned to cooking after her parents passed away and her early marriage failed. She suffered from panic attacks and agoraphobia, and cooking was something she could do for her family from home.
She married Jimmy Deen in 1965 and they had two sons together before getting divorced in 1989. After the divorce, she worked a variety of jobs to support her family, including hanging wallpaper, working in a bank, selling real estate and insurance, and running a catering business.
In 2004, she married Michael Groover, a tugboat captain, and their wedding was featured on the Food Network. The ceremony took place at Bethesda Academy in Savannah.
Paula Deen’s Restaurant Ventures
Deen’s catering service, The Bag Lady, started from her home kitchen and grew into a restaurant called The Lady at the Best Western in Savannah, Georgia. In 1996, she opened The Lady & Sons in downtown Savannah and won the “International Meal of the Year” award in 1999. Deen also owned four casino buffets and co-owned Uncle Bubba’s Oyster House, which closed in 2014 and reopened as Paula Deen’s Creek House in 2017. Other restaurant ventures include Paula Deen’s Family Kitchen in Tennessee, a restaurant in South Carolina, and two locations in Texas.
Paula Deen’s Publishing and Media Career
In 1997, Paula Deen self-published two cookbooks, “The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook” and “The Lady & Sons, Too! A Whole New Batch of Recipes from Savannah.” She then went on to publish two more cookbooks with co-author Martha Nesbit.
Deen’s life story was featured in the 2007 book “Extraordinary Comebacks: 201 Inspiring Stories of Courage, Triumph, and Success.” She also published her memoir “It Ain’t All About the Cookin'” in April 2007 with Simon & Schuster.
In November 2005, Deen launched her own lifestyle magazine “Cooking with Paula Deen,” which claimed a circulation of 7.5 million as of March 2009.
Paula Deen’s Career in the Food Network
Paula Deen began her relationship with the Food Network in 1999, appearing on the show “Doorknock Dinners” and “Ready, Set, Cook!”. She impressed the network with her pilot “Afternoon Tea” and was given her own show, “Paula’s Home Cooking”, which premiered in November 2002. Deen won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lifestyle Host in June 2007. She went on to film two more Food Network shows, “Paula’s Party” and “Paula’s Best Dishes”.
However, in 2013, Deen faced controversy after admitting to using racial slurs in a social media post. As a result, the Food Network decided not to renew her contract. Deen announced the launch of her own network, the Paula Deen Channel, in September 2014, which premiered on Roku on March 11, 2015. In October 2016, Deen launched a syndicated television show, “Positively Paula”.
Aside from her television ventures, Deen was a contestant on the 21st season of “Dancing with the Stars” in 2015, finishing in 9th place overall. She also regularly appears on the home shopping network Evine, where she sells a variety of merchandise including kitchen appliances, food products, and clothing.
Paula Deen’s Dessert Line and Film Debut
In 2009, Paula Deen announced her new dessert line, which would be sold at Walmart. The line included various signature pies and cakes, such as Apple Crunch Top, Dark Rum Pecan, Old Fashioned Fudge, and St. Louis style Gooey Butter Cake bars.
Deen also made her film debut in “Elizabethtown” in 2005, playing the aunt of Orlando Bloom’s character. Her role featured her cooking, and in conjunction with the film’s premiere, the Food Network aired the special “Paula Goes Hollywood.”
Controversies
In 2013, Deen was sued for racial and sexual discrimination by Lisa Jackson. Although the suit was dismissed, Deen’s admission to using a racial slur caused widespread backlash. As a result, she lost numerous publishing and endorsement deals.
Deen has also faced criticism for her use of sugar in recipes and a Halloween costume from 2011 that featured Deen and her son Bobby in brownface makeup.
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