Where is Paula Deen now? Former Food Network star’s life 12 years after scandal explored amid restaurant closures

Paula Deen, 78, presently based in Savannah, Georgia, has announced the abrupt closure of her two Savannah-based eateries, The Lady & Sons and The Chicken Box. The former one was her original flagship restaurant. 

According to a report by E! News, the veteran celebrity chef and her sons, Jamie Deen and Bobby Deen, stated the official decision via Facebook. She welcomed his sons with her ex-husband, Jimmy Deen.

On August 1, 2025, Paula revealed the major news to the world and penned a heartfelt message in the caption, noting,

"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."

Expressing her and her son's gratitude and appreciation for the visitors and employees, the emotional announcement further read,

"Thank you for all the great memories and for your loyalty over the past 36 years. 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.
Savannah will always be our home, and we’ll always be here to support our wonderful community."

Posting from the official Facebook page of The Lady and Sons, the former Food Network star and her sons shared insights about shifting their focus to their different restaurants in different parts of the United States. They further wrote,

"We will now focus our attention on the four Paula Deen’s Family Kitchen locations across the country—in Pigeon Forge, Myrtle Beach, Nashville, and Branson. We’re excited to continue visiting these restaurants regularly, starting with Branson on August 8th."

The Deens also left their contact details for connecting with them to host events and celebrations, continuing,

"For questions regarding future reservations, events, and catering orders and outstanding gift cards, please reach out by phone at (912) 233-2600 or by email at info@ladyandsons.com.
Love & Best Dishes,
Paula, Jamie & Bobby"

According to a CBS News report, as cited by E! News, onlookers outside The Lady & Sons found the restaurant's windows wrapped in brown paper. After closing the outlet, the staff also displayed a notice on the door, mentioning,

"It is with heavy hearts and tremendous gratitude that we announce that we have retired and closed."

A look at Paula Deen's life

Paula Deen's journey since the 2013 scandal reflects a path of reinvention rather than retreat. Though some ventures have closed, her culinary and personal brands continue across digital, media, and restaurant platforms. She remains a visible and evolving presence in American food culture.

In 2013, she became the center of a national controversy after admitting to past use of racial slurs. The concerning and much-talked-about revelation led to the termination of her contract with the Food Network. Additionally, it marked the end of her long-running show, Paula’s Home Cooking. 

In the years following the backlash, Deen worked hard toward rebuilding her brand, the Paula Deen’s Family Kitchen. She launched her restaurant venture in multiple locations and established a digital presence through YouTube, where she continues to share recipes with her audience on her YouTube channel with over 583,000 subscribers. Also, she presently features on a cooking and lifestyle show, At Home With Paula Deen, on Fox Nation.

Since the scandal, Paula Deen has struggled with several issues in her personal life. According to a report by The Chef Recipe, she was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. With the diagnosis, she embraced a better and healthier lifestyle. Over time, she shed a significant amount of weight. To be a fitter self, she dropped her weight by 35 to 40 pounds. The outlet confirmed she excluded rice, pasta, potatoes, and white bread from her diet for this noticeable change.

She just keeps getting better with age! We hope you'll join the entire Deen team in wishing Paula the happiest of birthdays. pic.twitter.com/93ByhRqgJd

— Paula Deen (@Paula_Deen) January 19, 2017

Following the fallout from her 2013 scandal, she suffered an estimated loss of $12 million in endorsements and business deals. Several signed collaborations were called off due to her shocking confession. Later, she took a strategic approach to rebuilding her financial standing.

Rather than depending solely on television appearances and major brand partnerships, Deen shifted her focus to a broader range of ventures. She continued publishing cookbooks, sustained her lifestyle magazine, and introduced various product lines under her name. Even today, she continues to publish her Cooking with Paula Deen magazine. Her decision helped her regain financial stability, with her net worth rebounding. According to a Celebrity Net Worth report, she has a net worth of $12 million.

According to a report by Distractify, she remains active with her family, grandmother to the kids of her sons, Bobby and Jamie. Both his sons are fathers to three kids, whom they share with their wives.