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She may have stepped away from television screens, but Paula Deen never truly left the kitchen. With multiple best-selling cookbooks and a five-year run on the Food Network’s Paula’s Best Dishes from 2008 to 2013, Deen carved out a space for herself in American culinary culture.
Despite public backlash that stalled her media presence around a decade ago, she didn’t vanish. Paula Deen kept her brand alive, working with her sons, Jamie and Bobby, and continuing to sell her products to a loyal audience. Celebrity Net Worth reported her net worth at $12 million, reflecting a career with more than one major challenge.
Paula Deen closes two restaurants, shifts attention to family kitchen locations:
It was the end of a chapter in Savannah as Paula Deen announced the sudden closure of two of her beloved restaurants, including her flagship, The Lady & Sons. On August 1, the culinary personality shared the news with followers via Facebook and her official website.
“Hey, y’all, my sons and I made the heartfelt decision that Thursday, July 31st, was the last day of service for The Lady & Sons and The Chicken Box,” she wrote.
The message was also signed by her sons, Jamie and Bobby, longtime collaborators in her culinary ventures. Founded over three decades ago, The Lady & Sons was more than just a restaurant. It was part of Deen’s identity and a pillar of her rise to fame. In her farewell statement, she expressed deep gratitude:
“We have endless love and gratitude for every customer who has walked through our doors. We are equally grateful to our incredible staff — past and present — whose hard work, care, and hospitality made The Lady & Sons what it was.”
Paula Deen said her focus would shift toward her remaining Family Kitchen locations in Branson, Pigeon Forge, Myrtle Beach, and Nashville.
“We’re excited to continue visiting these restaurants regularly, starting with Branson on August 8th,” she shared.
Originally launched in 1989 out of Paula Deen’s own home, The Lady & Sons became a foundational piece of her brand. After years operating as a catering service under the name The Bag Lady, Deen opened The Lady & Sons in downtown Savannah in 1996. It later moved locations and earned accolades, including USA Today’s “International Meal of the Year” in 1999.
The restaurant gained a reputation for hearty Southern fare—“a family-style spread of hearty down-home dishes” alongside “famous sides,” according to its menu descriptions. The Chicken Box, a secondary location just behind The Lady & Sons, opened in 2023 and closed the same day as its more established counterpart.
The decision came as a surprise to many. Local Martin Rowe told CBS News that,
“Nobody knew anything was wrong, I walk by there two or three times a week at lunch, and it was always packed.”
Visitor Adrienne Morton echoed the sentiment in her statement to the Associated Press:
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“I thought this must be a mistake or maybe they planned to close and we don’t live here and just weren’t up to speed, but no. We wish them the best. Hopefully everything turns out.”
In addition to her restaurant ventures, Paula Deen continued sharing recipes and kitchen tips with over 520,000 subscribers on her YouTube channel.
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