Weird Things About Paula Deen's Marriage To Michael Groover That Everyone Ignores

Paula Deen is one of the most recognizable celebrity chefs, widely known for her butter-heavy dishes. She has over twenty years of experience on television, hosting shows like "Paula's Home Cooking" and "Positively Paula," and has penned fifteen cookbooks to date. Though many are familiar with Deen and her food, few know much about her personal life — particularly her marriage to Michael Groover.

Deen was a single mom of two living in Savannah, Georgia, when she first encountered her next-door neighbor, Groover — recently divorced with two kids of his own. Seemingly fated to find each other, the two met through an adorable meet-cute involving Deen's two little dogs. Despite neither actively searching for a relationship at the time, they hit it off and were married in 2004 at the Bethesda Academy in Savannah.

After 20 years of marriage and plenty of picture-perfect moments captured on social media, one might think Deen and her hubby have a perfect life together. However, nothing is ever as it seems. The pair have experienced their fair share of downs, including a few bumps in the road that had everyone raising their brows.

As Paula Deen is a respected chef, it's likely not often she receives negative feedback about her food — especially from people close to her. However, that's exactly what happened when Deen's husband, Michael Groover, had a less-than-enthusiastic response to one of her dishes.

Deen talked about the moment with Good Housekeeping in 2008, saying, "Listen, he hurt my feelings so bad." Groover had apparently spoken very highly of his mother's pear crisp pie, and Deen was positive she could recreate the dessert to his liking. As Deen explained, "You cannot ask Michael a question if you do not want the truth," so it must have been quite a shock when she asked her hubby if he'd enjoyed her pie, and he responded, "Well, it's just not nearly as good as my mama's."

Groover, a former tugboat captain, seems to be a straight-shooter and wasn't going to sugarcoat his opinion — even for his famous wife. Deen claims she has tried to master the pear crisp many times and has yet to live up to the standard that Groover's mom set. "I still can't get that sucker right!" she said to GH.

One of the biggest hiccups Paula Deen and Michael Groover have faced in their marriage is allegations of infidelity. In 2013, rumors began circulating online that Groover was cheating on Deen. A source reportedly told the National Enquirer that the chef's husband had been seeing a "sexy middle-aged brunette" family friend for a year on the down low (via Daily Mail). The insider claimed that Deen was enraged when she discovered the betrayal, and the couple had an intense fight. Supposedly, Groover returned after being kicked out of the house by his wife, offended that she would believe such a thing and proclaiming his innocence.

However, it's possible this salacious tale is nothing more than a work of fiction. Another source close to the couple attempted to set the record straight when speaking with Us Weekly. "This story is absolutely not true," they said. "They have never been closer. Michael adores her, and Paula adores him. They are completely fine." 

Paula Deen and Michael Groover own a 3-bed, 3-bath, 1.3 million dollar home together in Wilmington Island, Georgia , which they purchased in 2004 — a property that once became the focus of a divorce rumor. In 2015, the chef deeded the real estate to her husband, according to documents obtained by the Daily Mail. Reportedly, Deen transferred all rights to the property to Groover "for and in consideration of her natural love and affection for her husband." As this was just a few years following the cheating allegations the couple faced, the public quickly assumed that this transaction was the result of a quiet divorce between the two.

However, just over a year later, Deen — still married to Groover — took back ownership of the home. She explained in a statement that the documents transferring the property were "delivered by error and [a] misunderstanding between her and her husband." Though the reason behind the real estate swap remains unclear, it was confirmed that it had nothing to do with a supposed divorce. A representative for Deen was quoted saying, "These rumors are completely false — they have a wonderful marriage. This deed of gift was just a part of Paula's estate-planning process (via Page Six).

Though not as large as some well-known couples, Paula Deen and Michael Groover do have an age gap between them, with the chef nine years her husband's senior. However, Groover doesn't seem to mind being with an older woman. In fact, he might even prefer it. In an excerpt from his book "My Delicious Life with Paula Deen," Groover wrote, "I particularly like women over 40 ... Actually, I liked all women, but the ones who were older seemed to like me more." As the mom-of-two was in her mid-50s when they wed, Deen seemed to fit his criteria just right, helping dispel the myth that men only marry younger women. The boating enthusiast even quoted a friend of his who said of older women, "They don't swell, they don't tell, and they're grateful as hell." How's that for a southern adage?

In Groover's memoir, he gushed about his wife's energy and infectiousness when he met her, writing, "Her enthusiasm and energy were contagious ... It'd been a coon's age since I met a woman like Ms. Paula Deen. Try never." It appears that the celebrated cookbook author had the perfect combination of aged wisdom and youthful vitality that her man desired. Despite meeting later in life, the couple was able to blend their families, and now their children, grandchildren, and in-laws have all come together as one lively and loving brood.

Though he had no previous culinary experience — or celebrity experience, for that matter — Michael Groover decided to dip his toes into Paula Deen's world after they were married. His first foray into the limelight was unsurprisingly as a guest on his wife's show "Paula's Best Dishes," where he made a seafood feast to celebrate his career on the water and later appeared on "Positively Paula." He also guest-starred on an episode of "Not My Mama's Meals" hosted by Paula's son, Bobby Deen.

Likely inspired by his wife, Groover struck out on an entrepreneurial venture of his own in 2007. He collaborated with a local roasting company in Savannah, Georgia, to make his own coffee line, Full Steam Ahead, under the brand Captain Michael's. Speaking to Savannah Morning News, Groover explained how drinking coffee kept him alert and focused while working on various ships and expressed his enthusiasm about his new enterprise. "I think we both put together a great product," he said. No doubt Groover's connection to Paula Deen helped him sell a few cups of joe.