Another rumor that’s been flying has been confirmed: Paula Deen is opening a restaurant in Tunica at what is presently The Grand Casino–which is going to be rebranded Harrah’s–in May. I didn’t make the press conference this morning because I was putting out tomorrow’s Food section, but a business reporter was there to cover the story of the whole expansion/rebranding, so there will be more info in the morning paper. I do know it’s going to be a buffet, though, and that it’s supposed to be a replica of her house.
Restaurant business
Responses to “Harrah’s puts money on Paula”
October 2nd, 2007 at 7:11 pm
That must be why Paula was going to be in Tunica tonight. After my bad experience last yr. at her Mid-South Fair appearance, I wasn’t even interested in going this year. Her restaurant will be a huge hit no matter where she opens one.
October 3rd, 2007 at 9:52 am
Last year, the night before her Midsouth Fair show, Paula won $50,000 in Tunica.
October 3rd, 2007 at 10:05 am
ProfDave, I wonder how that secret hasn’t gotten out?! I guess Paula figured the way the fair show turned out was punishment for gambling(!) Everything she touches seems to turn to gold, tho, so maybe that’s the boost the casino needs. The best thing I ever went to there was the Food Network chefs series - $10 each to see Sara Moulton, Bobby Flay, Ming Tsai & Mario Batali, cooking & chatting on four different Sunday afternoons. Maybe others will follow if Paula opens the door. If they can set up shop in Vegas, they can set up shop in Tunica for a lot less.
Jennifer, I LOVED your country store feature! I want to go try every one of them now. I think people are heavy into nostalgia these days & how better to experience it than to “go back in time” & enjoy the experiences we remember & loved as children. My White Station high school class reunion is on Oct. 13 (go Spartans!) & we have a group getting together at Pete & Sam’s on the 12th. They welcomed us with open arms & I’m sure it is going to bring back a lot of memories from the days when we all went there with our friends & families.
October 3rd, 2007 at 1:51 pm
Well, John Besh’s place in the Horseshoe was great the last time I was down there.
October 3rd, 2007 at 4:47 pm
I hope she has a heavy hand over it and doesn’t just let them open a buffet and slap her name on it. Tunica buffets are just plain bad. To do this right, they are going to have to limit selection and only serve Southern style cuisine. If they start throwing chinese and mexican in there, then all of it is just going to be bad. I know fried chicken will be a staple, but they should know how to do that already since the best fried chicken in the world comes out of the Mississippi Delta.
October 3rd, 2007 at 7:34 pm
Todd, I think that’s all it’ll be. It’ll have her name on it, but will likely be no different than a Picadilly’s.
I’m not a big Deen fan, but was she responsible for the Krispy Kreme donut “bread” pudding?
October 3rd, 2007 at 8:14 pm
Kristin, from what I understand after seeing the Krispy Kreme doughnut bread pudding on both “Paula’s Home Cooking” & “Paula’s Party,” she was given the recipe by a friend, who cooked it with her on “Paula’s Party.” I still haven’t tried it yet, but keep thinking I will. You know the old story about when I get a round tuit.”
October 3rd, 2007 at 10:27 pm
When I used to read a lot of food blogs like Chowhound.com and others, Paula’s restaurant, Lady and Sons, got consistantly mediocre and bad reviews from bloggers. And, look at the restaurant’s website, and you’ll see the price of the evening buffet is $16.99. I’d suspect that Barnhill’s has better fried chicken (it is good).
I have always liked Paula, but over the last year or so, I think she is getting a little too big for her britches-not at her waist but between the ears. On her new Paula’s Party shows, she is always laughing in this deep, loud voice. It is so obviously fake.
And I can assure you, she is selling her name to the casino-she will never even toast one piece of bread at the place let alone oversee its operation in any way except maybe helping with the initial menu and recipes.
Also, I am very disappointed in the Food Network-they seem to be mostly interested in creating “stars” instead of producing good cooking shows (with some exceptions, of course). A good example of this is giving Paula’s sons a show. To me, they both seem nice but really not very smart and definitely boring.
October 3rd, 2007 at 11:20 pm
Outside of the donut thing, I always kind of saw her food as stuff I either grew up on or things I was pretty much already cooking myself. I can see wny she’s got a big following though. I guess there’s a market for real food in some of the trendier, haute cuisine saturated locales in America.
October 4th, 2007 at 3:35 pm
Jim Baymiller, I agree w/you about Food Network. It appears they are easing Emeril out & one of my friends commented that Alton Brown only seems to be involved with “Iron Chef America” recently. I didn’t care for his “Feasting On Asphalt” series a bit. I thought he made Memphis look really bad. I also liked “Paula’s Party” better when she did the shows from her brother’s restaurant & not the studio where they are filmed now. She’s trying too hard to “go Hollywood” & she needs to get back to the basics that won her fans in the first place. “Road Tasted” isn’t going to be renewed - since Jamie’s son was born he hasn’t wanted to be away from home. I have heard the same comments about The Lady & Sons being mediocre, altho I have never been there myself. I do have Paula’s & her sons’ cookbooks & enjoy reading & using them. But I still enjoy the Southern cooking shows from her home more than any she’s done. I was visiting with Gina Neely at their restaurant recently. She got to know Paula & her sons thru the shows the Neely family has done w/them. She said even w/no make-up & wearing sunglasses & a ball cap to disguise herself, Paula can’t walk two steps w/o being mobbed by fans. Maybe she’s just trying to capitalize on her popularity now while she can still hold up to the pace she’s keeping. Her husband Michael must be a very patient man! There are ads in the magazine for a brand of coffee w/his name on the label & Paula also has a full line of candles, t-shirts, aprons, & various seasonings. So she is getting to be a trademark like Emeril, Rachael Ray & Mario Batali.
October 4th, 2007 at 4:06 pm
As an 11th generation Southerner from your neighboring state of Alabama, I am amazed at the cultish devotion to Paula Deen…She has apparently advanced Savannah tourism…But,give me a break !She’s a crude,obnoxious buffoon…A savant where money-making and self-promotion are concerned…She perpetuates the stereotypical view that the world has of the American South…She promotes and thrives on the “Redneck Culture” mentality…I wish that everyone could experience the wonderful grace that I see in My South everyday ! And,as for true Southern cooking,I come from a long line of extremely great Southern cooks…Ms.Deen is NOT representative of that great legacy….Her unwavering loyalty to the vile Smithfield Company is another matter…She has absolutely no concern for poor workers,poor animals,or our poor environment.It’s all about the MONEY y’all!When will this money-grubbing trashy cartoon go away ?
October 4th, 2007 at 6:50 pm
Susan, she will go away when people that oughta know better stop supporting that redneck. Despite her happy TV persona, she is not a nice person. I have a friend that taped an episode of her show.
October 5th, 2007 at 4:39 pm
Personally think Paula’s party is generally just crude. Don’t watch it. In fact, since they’ve changed the night time shows, I rarely watch Food Network any more. Like Alton Brown but not into science every day. Yet to see what “Ace of Cakes” does except I do believe they can create anything. Most everything else is about some challenge, winning, site-seeing, etc. Doesn’t anybody wanna just cook any more?? The only show I really enjoy is “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” - Guy at least has a blast.
October 5th, 2007 at 8:02 pm
I miss Sara Moulton and Wolfgang Puck…Now Mario Batali is leaving the Food Network…The Galloping Gourmet,Graham Kerr was wonderful…And,I also miss the great ones who have passed away…Julia Child and the Frugal Gourmet,Jeff Smith,and the great James Beard.
October 5th, 2007 at 8:09 pm
I agree with Nancy about Guy. He seems to have a good time in and out of the kitchen, and his food looks and sounds delicious.
October 5th, 2007 at 8:17 pm
Guy is also down-to-earth and genuine without being vulgar or ” putting on a show “.
October 6th, 2007 at 11:14 am
I have decided that Guy just enjoys himself, no matter what he’s doing. I truly enjoy “Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives.” I’m afraid I don’t have too much anticipation for Amy’s new show, the latest in the line of Next Food Network Stars, which premieres tomorrow night. In the promo, she says, “Let’s Get Cookin’!” & that’s the same thing Sandra Lee says on her show. Surely, Food Network could have been more original. Although Sandra has some good shortcuts & novel ideas, her personality is abrasive & sometimes I just can’t tolerate her. I miss the old “Calling All Cooks” show & also Curtis Aikens. I hadn’t heard that Mario was leaving, but I wondered how long he could continue with all the things he has going.
October 6th, 2007 at 2:54 pm
I am definitely not a fan. I think as a whole she makes southerners - and southern cooking - look bad.
October 7th, 2007 at 8:13 pm
Susan, I will just give you a clue about who this chef-friend is without getting him in trouble. He is the chef of one of the great New Orleans institutions. He recently taped an episode of her show and told me he was appalled by her treatment of the staff and general lack of class and decorum. You can probably figure it out.
October 7th, 2007 at 8:48 pm
I mean, every time I see something by her I think, “This woman makes it seem like all we ever do is fry anything.” I mean, I think she’d sell recipes for deep fried butter, honestly.
Many of my non-southern foodie friends have asked me if everything in the south is fried and/or full of lard. There’s more to southern cooking than that, despite the stereotypes. She’s just so, I dunno, one dimensional, perhaps?
October 7th, 2007 at 9:18 pm
Thank you FIGS,I can certainly believe it ! Everyone,you know,I think that our true Southern food ,(not the one that Paula Deen exploits),is one of the great cuisines of the world ! Southerners eat lots of lean roasted,grilled & braised meat,poultry,fish & seafood ,vegetables & fruits …..Makes my mouth water !
October 8th, 2007 at 1:27 pm
glad to see my wife and i are not alone in our dislike of PD.
most of her dishes are simply FATLADEN beyond descriotion…as with “deep fried butter”, referenced above
clearly, she eats what she cooks and that caint be too good for the arteries!!
not that there is anything wrong with a moderate amount of pork fat!!
October 8th, 2007 at 2:07 pm
You’re so right Ted…but I think that the operative word is moderation.After all,Southern biscuits and pastry aren’t the same without lard… And,it’s much better for you than solid vegetable shortening…No trans fats ! But,a little goes a long way…Deprivation isn’t a good thing,but moderation,moderation,moderation is a great thing !
October 9th, 2007 at 2:23 pm
Randal-Besh unfortunately left that restaurant and is focused on his 3 or 4 in N.O. now.
Carole-How did Alton make Memphis look bad? It was a great episode that really captured Memphis in my opinion. Did you expect him to hit Spindini, Stella and all the other restaurants that are duplicated in every city > 500,000 population?
October 10th, 2007 at 5:18 am
I agree with Greg. I don’t think Alton did anything at all to make Memphis look bad. I love “Feasting On Asphalt” and hope that the Food Network continues to bring it back during the summer season. I have enjoyed the past two seasons.
And yes, Mario will only be seen on Iron Chef America. TFN cancelled “Molto Mario”. That was stated in a blog from Mario himself.
I wish TFN would stop making every show a “reality” one. A few are okay, but it is now getting out of control. I remeber I used to look forward and enjoy the “Challenge” shows…until they too got out of control. If I see another blasted Disney Cake Themed Bake/Decorating-Off….
October 10th, 2007 at 12:44 pm
Gregg, I thought that business at Wiles-Smith Drug Store with the stuffed whatever it was made Memphis look bad! I mean, how many drugstores in other cities have taxidermy sitting around?! Alton spent entirely too much time parading it around the store instead of focusing on the food. And I thought he made fun of the Pink Palace exhibit too. I knew Alton was going for out of the way places, & I happen to like the soda fountain at Wiles-Smith & food from Melanie’s a lot. But he just made people look like bumpkins. Sometimes he can be funny, but that time he was just downright snarky.
October 10th, 2007 at 10:23 pm
Carole, the show was about road food. He was quite complimentary of the quirkiness of all the road food places he went to on the trip, including Wiles-Smith. That is what makes them interesting and worth visiting, which he made quite clear.
October 10th, 2007 at 11:03 pm
I must say that my husband & I love Alton Brown…He’s a talented and brilliant man…
October 13th, 2007 at 7:55 am
That everyone goes ga-ga over this woman is beyond me. We waited two hours (at my wife’s insistence)in summer heat/humidity to eat in her restaurant in Savannah. I’ve had better food in a high school cafeteria. The fried catfish (whole) was a bony, overcooked mess. That kind of stuff gives southern cooking a black eye. EVERYONE I’ve encountered who has been to her restaurant says they’d never go back. There are many fine restaurants in Savannah; hers ain’t one of ‘em. As for her Tunica restaurant, a casino buffet is a casino buffet is… I’ll pass.
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