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• 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.

  Nitches, Inc. filed suit against Deen in February of 2009 claiming that though they had the exclusive rights to sell a variety of Deen's gadgets, Paula Deen Enterprises used a different company instead. Nitches, Inc. is seeking an unspecified amount in damages as well as an injunction to stop Deen from selling her products.TMZ: Paula Deen Gets Served! (February 21, 2009)

• Fast Facts

  1. Birth name: Paula Ann Hiers
  2. Birthplace: Albany, Georgia
  3. Born: January 19, 1947
  4. Owns: The Lady & Sons restaurant
  5. Suffered from agoraphobia
  6. Cooking style: Southern
  7. Stars in Paula's Home Cooking and Paula's Party
  8. Magazine: Cooking with Paula Deen
  9. Published five cookbooks
  10. Lives in Savannah, Georgia
  11. Spouse: Michael Groover
  12. Ex-spouse: Jimmy Deen

• Cook Books and Magazine

  Deen's quirky and welcoming personality has made her shows a success and led to her publishing a magazine in 2005 titled Cooking with Paula Deen as well as five cookbooks, two self published.

• Learning to Cook

  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 first husband.

• Television Career

  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.

• Personal Life

  Deen lost both of her parents at the age of 23. The trauma she faced caused her to develop agoraphobia, an anxiety disorder. 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.

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