Paula Deen

Paula Deen

Keynote Speaker: Celebrity Chef, Cookbook Author, TV Personality

Paula Deen Biography

As a young girl growing up in Albany, Georgia, Paula Deen never dreamed she would become an American icon. As a young mother, Deen was living the American dream, married to her high school sweetheart and raising two adorable boys, when tragedy struck. Her parents died, her marriage failed, and she began a prolonged battle with agoraphobia. With her boys in their teens and her family near homelessness, Deen took her last $200, reached deep inside her soul and started “The Bag Lady,” a home-based catering company that marked the start of Deen’s professional cooking. With sons Jamie and Bobby delivering “lunch-and-love-in-a-bag,” beginning in June 1989, Deen turned around her life by sharing what she knew best, traditional Southern cooking.

Deen’s first business, The Bag Lady, showcased her strengths and stabilized her family. She moved her catering company to a small restaurant at a Best Western motel in Savannah, eventually opening her first restaurant, The Lady and Sons, with Bobby and Jamie five years later. The restaurant quickly gained traction, and the popularity of Deen and her cooking led to her first cookbook, 1998’s "The Lady and Sons Savannah Country Cookbook." This publication enabled fans to try Deen’s recipes at home and led to her first television appearance on QVC. Her genuine warmth and folksy personality made her a natural for television. In 1999, USA Today food critic Jerry Shriver named The Lady and Sons “International Meal of the Year.”

Deen’s rise to prominence continued when she premiered “Paula’s Home Cooking” on the Food Network in 2002. She expanded her television presence with “Paula’s Best Dishes” which debuted in 2008. Her engaging on-screen presence earned her two Emmy Awards. Additionally, other family-led shows, including Bobby’s “Not My Mama’s Meals” on the Cooking Channel and Jamie’s “Home for Dinner with Jamie Deen” found success, further cementing the Deen family’s place in culinary television.

Deen’s business interests are extensive. She co-owns The Lady & Sons and Uncle Bubba’s Oyster House with her brother, Bubba. Her brand, Paula Deen Enterprises, spans 17 different licensees and offers a broad range of products from cookware to furniture. She authored 14 cookbooks, which have collectively sold over 8 million copies, and she runs a bimonthly magazine, Cooking with Paula Deen, which boasts nearly a million readers.

An active community participant, Deen uses her platform to support charitable efforts. She serves on the board of the Bethesda Home for Boys and works with America’s Second Harvest and Smithfield Foods Helping Hungry Homes™, contributing significantly to hunger relief efforts. On New Year’s Day 2011, she was honored as the Grand Marshal of the Tournament of Roses Parade, showcasing her appeal and recognition beyond the kitchen.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Paula Deen and other top speakers and celebrities.

Paula Deen Videos

Quarantine Cooking: Paula Deen House Seasoning Recipe
Paula Deen: What Southern Cooking Means to Me

How do I book Paula Deen to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Paula Deen for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Paula Deen, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Paula Deen or any other speaker of your choice.

How much does it cost to book Paula Deen for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for Paula Deen, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fee for a live event is $50,000 - $100,000. For the most current speaking fee to hire Paula Deen, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

What topics does Paula Deen speak about?

Paula Deen is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Celebrity Chef, Entertainers, Women, Food & Beverage, Television & Film, Influential Women, Inspirational, Storytelling, Diabetes, Authors, Health, Celebrity and Lifestyle.

Where does Paula Deen travel from?

Paula Deen generally travels from Georgia, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.

Who is the agent for Paula Deen?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Paula Deen for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Paula Deen for your next private or corporate function.

What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Paula Deen or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.


Paula Deen is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Celebrity Chef, Entertainers and Women. The estimated speaking fee range to book Paula Deen for live events is $50,000 - $100,000. Please contact us for virtual event fees. Paula Deen generally travels from Georgia, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Cat Cora, Sandra Lee and Alice Waters. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Paula Deen for an upcoming event.

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 04/11/2024.

Paula Deen Videos

Quarantine Cooking: Paula Deen House Seasoning Recipe
Paula Deen: What Southern Cooking Means to Me

Paula Deen News

  • How do I book Paula Deen to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Paula Deen for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Paula Deen, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Paula Deen or any other speaker of your choice.
  • How much does it cost to book Paula Deen for a speaking engagement?

    Speaking fees for Paula Deen, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fee for a live event is $50,000 - $100,000. For the most current speaking fee to hire Paula Deen, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Paula Deen speak about?

    Paula Deen is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Celebrity Chef, Entertainers, Women, Food & Beverage, Television & Film, Influential Women, Inspirational, Storytelling, Diabetes, Authors, Health, Celebrity and Lifestyle.
  • Where does Paula Deen travel from?

    Paula Deen generally travels from Georgia, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.
  • Who is the agent for Paula Deen?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Paula Deen for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Paula Deen for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Paula Deen or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
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All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.