Celebrity chef Paula Deen, who with her sons Jamie and Bobbie, owns and operates The Lady & Son's restaurant in Savannah, Ga., is set to open her newest venture on the Island in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains national park and home to Dollywood theme park.
At nearly 20,000 square feet, the new location holds both Paula Deen's Family Kitchen and a 4,000-square-foot retail attraction, The Paula Deen Store. The store is designed to resemble Deen's home, complete with a replica of her kitchen for special events, samplings and personal appearances. In the store, guests can purchase Deen's products, including cookbooks, linens, aprons, utensils, cookware, food products and gifts.
Paula Deen's Family Kitchen, showcasing family-style Southern cooking, features 300 seats providing each guest a front-row seat to The Island Show Fountain and a panoramic view of the Great Smoky Mountains in the distance. Guests can also enjoy the centerpiece of the Island in Pigeon Forge, the 200-foot Great Smoky Mountain Wheel, an observation wheel attraction reminiscent of the London Eye.