Paula Deen is 79 years old. Honestly, it feels like she's been around forever, doesn't it? Born on January 19, 1947, in Albany, Georgia, she just celebrated that big 7-9 milestone in early 2026. If you grew up watching her toss sticks of butter around like confetti on the Food Network, it’s kinda wild to realize she’s nearing her 80s. But she isn't exactly sitting in a rocking chair on a porch somewhere.
She's still remarkably active.
Most people think her career ended after the massive controversy back in 2013—the "cancellation" before we even called it that. You remember the headlines. The deposition, the lost contracts, the Today show apology that didn't go quite right. But if you look at the age of Paula Deen today and what she’s actually doing, the "disappearance" was mostly a mainstream media thing. In her own world, and for her fans, she never really left.
The Savannah Start and Late Bloom
Paula didn't even start her professional cooking journey until she was 42. That’s a detail that gets lost a lot. She wasn't some culinary school prodigy. She was a mother of two, struggling with agoraphobia and panic attacks, who took her last $200 and started "The Bag Lady" catering business in 1989.
Think about that.
At an age when many people are settling into their careers, she was just beginning to build a name for herself by packing lunches for office workers in Savannah. It took another decade before she really hit the big time with The Lady & Sons and eventually her TV debut. By the time she became a household name in the early 2000s, she was already in her mid-50s. She’s always been a "late bloomer," which maybe explains why she’s still grinding away at nearly 80.
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Is Paula Deen Still Cooking?
Short answer: Yes. Long answer: She’s basically a digital creator now.
If you check out her YouTube channel, which has over 600,000 subscribers, she’s posting videos constantly. It’s a mix of "Love & Best Dishes" segments and vintage clips. There’s something fascinating about watching her in 2026. She still has that same Georgia drawl, the signature white hair, and the "hey y'all" energy, but the recipes have shifted a bit.
Managing Health at 79
Since being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes over a decade ago, Paula has had to rethink the "butter is a food group" philosophy. It was a huge scandal when she first announced it, mainly because she’d been promoting high-sugar, high-fat foods for years while privately managing the condition.
Today, she’s much more vocal about her health journey. She’s lost about 40 to 50 pounds from her peak weight and keeps it off with a mix of portion control and daily walks. She's mentioned using Victoza to manage her blood sugar, and honestly, she looks healthier now at 79 than she did in some of her 60-year-old Food Network clips.
She recently talked about her "diabetes-friendly Southern makeover" for recipes. We’re talking:
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- Zucchini noodles instead of heavy spaghetti.
- Cauliflower mash replacing the starch-heavy potatoes.
- Sugar substitutes in the sweet tea (blasphemy for some, survival for others).
- Protein smoothies for breakfast instead of biscuits and gravy.
The Business Empire in 2026
You might have heard that she closed her flagship restaurant, The Lady & Sons in Savannah, back in late 2025. That was a huge shock to the local community. It had been a downtown staple for nearly 30 years.
But don't assume she's broke.
Through Paula Deen Ventures, which received a massive private equity investment years ago, she still has a hand in several "Family Kitchen" locations. You can still find them in tourist hubs like Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. She’s also leaned heavily into the "dinner show" market, like the Lumberjack Feud in Pigeon Forge.
She’s basically moved her brand from mainstream TV to Southern tourism and direct-to-consumer digital media.
The Controversy Legacy
We can't talk about her age and her status without acknowledging that the 2013 scandal still follows her. If you search for her today, you’ll still find debates about whether she should have been "forgiven" or if she was treated too harshly.
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It’s a complicated legacy. On one hand, she’s a self-made woman who overcame poverty and mental health struggles. On the other, she became a symbol of a specific kind of Southern cultural tone that didn't sit well with a modern, more socially conscious audience.
At 79, she seems less concerned with winning back the critics and more focused on the people who stuck by her. Her magazine, Cooking with Paula Deen, is still in print. Her 20th book, Love & Best Dishes, came out recently, blending recipes with memoir-style letters.
What to Expect Next from Paula
As she approaches 80, the focus seems to be on family. She has eleven grandchildren now, and her sons, Jamie and Bobby, are largely running the day-to-day business operations.
If you're looking for the "old" Paula, she's still there—just perhaps with a little less salt and a lot more awareness of her blood sugar. She’s a survivor, if nothing else. Whether you love her or can't stand her, the fact that she’s still a relevant topic of conversation in 2026 is a testament to the brand she built starting with a cooler and $200.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Critics:
- Check the Digital Platforms: If you miss her cooking, don't look for her on cable. Her YouTube and Facebook pages are where the actual 2026 content lives.
- Health Realism: Her recent "lightened up" recipes are actually a decent resource for those trying to manage diabetes without giving up Southern flavors entirely.
- Visit with Caution: If you're planning a trip to Savannah to see the "original" spot, remember that the flagship has closed; check the current status of her other Family Kitchen locations before traveling.
- Legacy of a Late Starter: Use her story as a reminder that it's never too late to pivot; she didn't find success until her 40s, proving that age is often just a number in the world of entrepreneurship.