COVER STORY


than 8 million cookbooks, and her publishing success translated into similar success in the magazine world. Her bimonthly Cooking with Paula Deen has grown to a circulation of more than a million. All of her publications are available at her store adjacent to Te Lady & Sons, as are her Paula Deen signature cookware, baking utensils, kitchen tools and accessories. She transformed a derelict space into a handsome retail outlet with polished hardwood floors, exposed brick walls and contemporary lighting. You might catch a book signing there, although the signer may just be her tall son, Jamie, who inherited her dimples and affable charm. He and his brother, Bobby, often make cameo appearances on their mother’s cooking shows and sometimes offer low-calorie versions of the recipes, teasing her about her love of butter. No one teases her about her love for another one of her celebrity guests – Jamie’s young son, her grandson Jack. Jamie has been work- ing on a pilot for his own show, “Te Family Table,” while Bobby, in addition to helping manage the Deen em- pire, co-authored three bestselling cookbooks: “Te Deen Brothers Cookbook-Recipes from the Road”; “Y’all Come Eat”; and “Take It Easy.” Te Deen brothers also publish stand-alone magazines and special edition digital releases focused on tailgating,


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grilling and barbeque. And, in 2006, Bobby was one of


People magazine’s 50 Most Eligible Bachelors.


Teir celebrity mom now has


two shows on Te Food Network – “Paula’s Best Dishes” and “Paula’s Home Cooking.” Since 2009, she has


“An American success story, Paula Deen is a sterling example for single mothers.”


partnered with major corporations such as Wal-Mart (with an exclusive line of baked goods); Quality Food Brands; International Greeting and


Cooking.com; and Smithfield Hams. And if you want to make a pilgrimage to her newest restaurant, plug Harrah’s Cherokee Casino & Hotel in Cherokee, North Carolina, into your GPS. In January 2011, she opened a full-service, 404-seat res- taurant and retail shop there. Where does this 60-something marvel get her energy? I’ll ask her if I can catch up with her.


A PAULA DEEN TOUR A Paula Deen tour is a delightful


Savannah experience offered by Old Town Trolley (www.trolleytours.com/ Savannah). It includes a Lowcountry buffet at Uncle Bubba’s Oyster House, and each person gets a “fast pass” (See below). Would-be diners at Te


Paula’s sons, Jamie (left) and Bobby (right), often make cameo appearances on her cooking shows and sometimes offer low-calorie versions of the recipes, teasing her about her love of butter.


www.SavannahVacationGuide.com | www.RetiringToGeorgia.com | www.CoastalCondoLiving.com


Lady & Sons, located in the Historic District, should be aware of the restaurant’s reservation policy (See: http://ladyandsons.com/ index.php/restaurant/reser- vations/). Tey should drop by the restaurant by 9:30 a.m. to put their name on the list for lunch or dinner. At the busy times of the year – spring, early fall and during festivals and events – the restaurant usually is booked for the day before noon. Fans who take a Paula Deen tour can use their “fast pass,” which allows them to call to get their name on the reservation list. As long as they phone in before the hosts begin taking names for the day, they shouldn’t have any problems. Te restau- rant has an a la carte menu, but most people prefer the Southern-style buffet.


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