Guide Note

American cook, restaurateur, writer and television personality Paula Deen stars in the cooking shows Paula's Home Cooking and Paula's Party on the Food Network television station. Her quirky and welcoming personality has made her shows a success and led to her publish a magazine in 2005 Cooking with Paula Deen and four cookbooks, two self published.

Deen began cooking at a young age, taught by her Grandmother Paul. She learned tips and tricks, techniques, and what she says is most important "laughter, life lessons, and love." She started a catering company named The Bag Lady in 1999 after divorcing her husband.

She met with the Food Network after being introduced to reporter and producer Gordon Elliot. The network liked her ideas, but did not have a time slot open for her show Paula's Home Cooking until November of 2002.

Deen lost both of her parents at the age of 23. The trauma she faced cause her to develop agoraphobia, a fear of death. Her condition worsened after she worked as a bank teller and was held at gunpoint. Her success in controlling the condition was found in cooking and the love of her family.

She married Michael Groover on March 6, 2004. The preparations and ceremony was taped as a Food Network exclusive and aired later that same year.

Fast Facts

1. Birth name: Paula Ann Hiers
2. Birthplace: Albany, Georgia
3. Born: January 19, 1947
4. Owns: The Lady & Sons restaurant
5. Suffers from agoraphobia
6. Cooking style: Southern

Quotes

1. "Cooking has always brought me a happiness that I didn't think was available. I just fire up the stove, and things start to fade away."
2. "I think no matter what the occasion may be, you can never go wrong by showing up at the dinner table with a hot plate of fried chicken."
3. "As long as you have a nice box of grits, you have a side dish waiting to happen, on so many levels."