Paula Deen

A Southern belle with a penchant for the richest and most indulgent foods, Paula Deen was born and raised in Georgia, where she learned to cook the traditional Southern fare that would eventually make her famous. She parlayed her love of cooking and food into a restaurant and catering business, The Lady and Sons, in 1996, and the next year she published a cook book based on the rich fare available at her establishment, such as cheesy meat loaf and fried chicken, and gooey butter cake. She soon became a popular media personality, appearing on The Oprah Winfrey Show and on various series on the Food Network, which eventually offered Deen her own show, Paula's Party, where she instructed viewers on how to make such heart-stopping meals as bacon-wrapped hotdogs.