Paula Deen's Transformation Is Wild To See In Side-By-Side Photos

To say that Paula Deen's life has changed since 2013 would be an understatement. At the height of her fame, the Food Network's "Queen of Southern Cuisine" was the star of multiple cooking shows and filled the shelves of retailers such as Walmart and Target with her own brand of cookware and food products. But after falling from grace over her past use of a racial slur, Deen not only lost her place on the Food Network but also numerous fans and what was likely millions in endorsements, book deals, and business profits. The back-to-back tragedies she suffered led Deen to keep a low profile in the ensuing years, but she's since returned to her television chef roots — minus the television part. She's found a new home on social media, teaching her hundreds of thousands of YouTube subscribers how to cook Southern-style meals. However, it wasn't just her career and fame that underwent a major overhaul. 

Alexander Tamargo/Getty & @laraleatrump/Instagram

Fourteen years after her scandal, Deen looked nearly unrecognizable in a selfie posted by Lara Trump on her Instagram in November 2025. While she still has the same grin and silver hair that became her trademark at the height of her fame in 2011, Deen's stunning weight loss transformation and style upgrade gave her a whole new vibe and took off at least a decade from her 78 years. The media personality appeared to have stuck to the same overall style, but she leveled up her look with a brighter hair color, a fresh cut, and more flattering eyebrows and eye makeup. However, most of the changes stemmed from the significant volume Deen lost in her face over the years, resulting in a much sharper jawline, more defined cheekbones, and narrower oval facial structure.

Paula Deen's transformation hasn't gone unnoticed, with plenty of fans showering her new look with praise on social media. "Paula D. You look fabulous," one comment under Lara Trump's photo read. Another person gushed, "Paula looks younger than years ago!!!" Amid the support, speculation also ran rampant that popular weight-loss drugs or plastic surgery might have played a role in her drastically different appearance as well. However, Deen has never admitted to going under the knife or taking Ozempic despite using a similar injectable drug to treat her type 2 diabetes during the 2010s. 

Instead, the former TV chef credited exercise and changes to her diet for her 30-pound weight loss back in 2012. "Over the years, I've rearranged my plate, makin' more room for the foods that are good for me. I started to learn about how to improve my diet by watching my starches and cutting way back on sugar and fats," Deen wrote on her website, adding, "I'm not moving mountains or partin' seas, but these moderate changes to my life have made such a positive difference on my health, my waistline, and my spirit."

Since she began her weight loss journey, it's estimated that Deen has lost a whopping 50 pounds in total. However, it's not just her slimmer frame and healthier lifestyle that have lifted her spirits in the aftermath of her scandal. Though she no longer has lucrative Food Network shows and brand deals, she's continued to spread her love for delicious meals through her cookbooks, magazine, and restaurants. And as her heartfelt 21st wedding anniversary post in March 2025 has proven, Deen's marriage to her husband Michael Groover is as sweet as ever.