How Paula Deen Built Her Net Worth
From a simple catering business to the heights of Food Network fame, Paula Deen has slipped right into our hearts. With her welcoming manner and delightful Georgia accent, Deen has taken on the restaurant industry and won, several times over. You never know what to expect from one of her shows, but you can bet it will taste great.
Paula Deen has certainly earned a place in America's kitchens. And if the way to the heart is truly through the stomach, you can bet she's living in the heart of a grateful audience. Between her restaurants, cookbooks, television shows, and guest appearances, Deen is one of the best-known cooking experts in the nation. She continues to entertain us with her down-home humor and simply delicious food.
Deen has expanded her fan base over the years, competing in the 21st season of the popular television show, Dancing with the Stars, and appearing in the movie, Elizabethtown. She also has her own line of merchandise on Evine, a home shopping network.
As of May 2020, Paula Deen has an estimated net worth of $16 million, largely due to her television success, widely loved books, and entrepreneurial spirit. Her son, Jamie, has followed his mother into the cooking show and restaurant business, as well. Neither one of them shows any sign of stopping in the near future, so you can expect that number to continue to grow.
The Early Life of Paula Deen
Paula Ann Hiers Deen was born on January 19, 1947 in Albany, GA. She was raised in the Baptist faith, which still has her loyalty. She married very young, but that union ended in divorce. Unfortunately, Deen's parents both died before she reached the age of 23, which caused her to suffer from extreme anxiety.
While still in her twenties, Deen began to suffer from agoraphobia and panic attacks. She needed something that she could focus her mind on from the security of her own home. This is when she started focusing on the disappearing art of Southern-style cooking, and she credits her grandmother, Irene Paul, for teaching her the ropes.
For Deen, It's a Family Business
Deen married Jimmy Deen in 1965 and two boys were born to this union, Jamie and Bobby. This marriage lasted until 1989, when Paula and her boys moved to Savannah, GA and divorced her second husband. Money was tight, and with two sons to raise, along with her younger brother, Earl, she needed to find a way to generate cash.
She tried several different jobs, from hanging wallpaper to selling insurance, with little success. That's when she got the idea to open her own catering service, and she brought the whole family into it. She made sandwiches and meals for delivery and Jamie and Bobby took care of deliveries for the business, called "The Bag Lady". She didn't know it yet, but she was on the road to success.
When her catering business grew beyond her home kitchen's capacity, Deen opened her first restaurant, The Lady, in 1991. Five years later, she opened her famous The Lady & Sons restaurant, with a menu filled with classic southern comfort foods. In 1999, USA Today selected The Lady & Sons as the winner of the "International Meal of the Year" distinction. Also, that year Deen began her relationship with the Food Network, which put her name and signature dishes on tables across America.
Deen got married in 2004 to Michael Groover, a tugboat captain. The wedding, which was held at Bethesda Academy in Savannah, was broadcast on Food Network.
Paula Deen's Amazing House
In 2006, Deen bought her opulent home "Riverbend", a 14,500 square-foot French-Caribbean style estate in Savannah Georgia. She paid $3.75 million for the 1980s home and set to work customizing it.
This massive house has an aviary, media room, gourmet kitchen, and garage for three cars. There is a swimming pool with a movie theater, an outdoor barbecue kitchen with four refrigerators and three grills, and a koi pond. The Deen family also has a croquet court and chicken coop, for a touch of Southern charm.
When Deen has visitors, there is a 10,000 square-foot barn that contains three bedrooms and a garage for eight vehicles. If there is any overflow, she also has two guest cottages, along with a dock house, for extended visits. Deen is currently listing this ample property for sale, so one can only imagine where she will move to next. Wherever it is, it will have a hard time living up to this beautiful Wilmington Island estate.
Paula Deen Vacations
Even a vacation is a chance for Deen to show off her skills as a stellar Southern hostess. She has a charming beach house on Tybee Island that you can rent when you are on vacation. Perfect for her fans, this vacation spot gives you the chance to prepare food in the same kitchen as Deen did for her family. For those who aren't huge fans, the beach house itself is designed for a stylish and relaxing time with friends and family.
Deen also offers European vacation destinations. No word on whether she ever makes an appearance on her vacation opportunities, or whether she even takes time off for getaways. But you can bet that whatever she does, it has the same stylish flair of the grand lady of the Southern kitchen herself.