Early Life and Family Background

Paula Ann Hiers Deen was born on January 19, 1947, in Albany, Georgia, to Corrie A. Hiers and Earl Wayne Hiers Sr. Following the death of both her parents by the time she was 23, Deen turned to cooking as a way to provide for her family and cope with personal hardship.

She married Jimmy Deen in 1965, and the couple had two sons, Jamie and Bobby. They divorced in 1989. Following the separation, Deen was left with limited financial resources—reportedly only $200—and was responsible for supporting her two children as well as her younger brother. During this period, she worked various jobs including hanging wallpaper, working as a bank teller, and selling insurance and real estate.

The Bag Lady and Culinary Beginnings

In an effort to support her family, Deen started a home-based catering service in Savannah, Georgia, called The Bag Lady. She prepared fresh sandwiches and homemade meals in her kitchen, which her sons delivered locally. The business quickly gained popularity due to her traditional Southern-style cooking, which she had learned from her grandmother.

As The Bag Lady grew in success, Deen moved into restaurant ownership, opening The Lady in the early 1990s. In January 1996, she founded The Lady & Sons in downtown Savannah. The restaurant became a notable culinary destination and was recognized by USA Today in 1999, with readers naming it “International Meal of the Year.”

Expansion and Restaurant Ventures

Building on her success, Deen continued to expand her culinary brand. In 2008, she opened Paula Deen Buffet at Harrah’s Tunica Casino in Tunica County, Mississippi. In April 2015, she launched Paula Deen’s Family Kitchen in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, offering family-style Southern fare.

She also developed a line of desserts sold at Walmart, launched in September 2009, which included Apple Crunch Top pies, Dark Rum Pecan pies, and Gooey Butter bars. Jamie and Bobby Deen, her two sons, became actively involved in the family business and currently co-own The Lady & Sons.