this kitchen. reporter: deen who started as a caterer built a south earn food empire opening the first restaurant in 1991 in va san that. she opened more restaurants and in 2002 began hosting her own television show on the food network called paula s home cooking. i m going to smear the mayonnaises on that piece of bread. reporter: as deen s popularity grew, so did the controversy. they said she was promoting an unhealthy lifestyle and making off smith field home and philadelphia cream cheese and in 2012 more controversy. deen announced she had type 2 diabetes, a condition she knew about for three years before going public. she made her announcement on the today show . i m here to let the world know that it is not a death sentence. reporter: her credit ticks critics pounced wondering why she waited so long and she
food empire opening the first restaurant in 1991 in va san that. she opened more restaurants and in 2002 began hosting her own television show on the food network called paula s home cooking. i m going to smear the mayonnaises on that piece of bread. reporter: as deen s popularity grew, so did the controversy. they said she was promoting an unhealthy lifestyle and making off smith field home and philadelphia cream cheese and in 2012 more controversy. deen announced she had type 2 diabetes, a condition she knew about for three years before going public. she made her announcement on the today show . i m here to let the world know that it is not a death sentence. reporter: her credit ticks critics pounced wondering why she waited so long and she tied her revelation to a
the first. please use butter because it s so much better than the marge rin. reporter: she s so recognizedble food personalities in georgia. she s known for greasy, buttery recipes and made her a star and a tar get. look at all the butter in this kitchen. reporter: deen who started as a caterer built a south earn food empire opening the first restaurant in 1991 in va san that. she opened more restaurants and in 2002 began hosting her own television show on the food network called paula s home cooking. i m going to smear the mayonnaises on that piece of bread. reporter: as deen s popularity grew, so did the controversy. they said she was promoting an unhealthy lifestyle and making off smith field home and philadelphia cream cheese and in 2012 more controversy.
please use butter because it s so much better than the marge rin. reporter: she s so recognizedble food personalities in georgia. she s known for greasy, buttery recipes and made her a star and a target. look at all the butter in this kitchen. reporter: deen who started as a caterer built a southern food empire opening the first restaurant in 1991. she opened more restaurants and in 2002 began hosting her own television show on the food network called paula s home cooking. i m going to smear the mayonnaises on that piece of bread. reporter: as deen s popularity grew, so did the controversy. they said she was promoting an unhealthy lifestyle and making off smith field ham and philadelphia cream cheese and in 2012 more controversy. deen announced she had type 2 diabetes, a condition she knew