MISSISSIPPI STATE ALUMNUS Winter 2011
Brandon Branch Behind the Scenes with Paula Deen
Photo by Chia Chiung Chong
Brandon Branch Behind the Scenes with Paula Deen By Sheri Pape Photo by Deborah Whitlaw Llewellyn
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Brandon in a condo he decorated
avannah, Ga., is one of
town with a close-knit community
the quintessential cities
and laid-back lifestyle. Savannah
Enterprises is a 2000 Mississippi
that evokes the charm
is often referred to as the “hostess
State University alumnus helping
and hospitality of the
of the South,” and much of the
translate Southern elegance and
Deep South. Known for its oak-
city’s magnetism emanates from
culinary tradition through Paula’s
lined streets dripping with Spanish
its residents.
television show, magazine and line
moss, a mixture of perfectly
12 Alumnus WINTER 2011
of kitchen and home products.
preserved old world architecture,
name, when mentioned, exudes
and public squares that serve as
Southern charm and causes cravings
Brandon Branch, design director
a center for neighborhood and
of fried chicken, gooey cakes,
for Paula Deen Enterprises,
city dwelling, this port city is as
Lowcountry fare, and anything
on location at a photo shoot
picturesque as it is alluring.
including butter. Celebrity chef
for Cooking with Paula Deen
Paula Deen has made her home in
magazine. During our time
metropolitan areas, the city itself
the coastal city, and created a world-
together, Brandon described how
takes on the personality of a small
renowned culinary empire.
his MSU education and experience
Though one of Georgia’s largest Paula Deen and Brandon Branch
Of its most famous citizens, one
Behind the scenes of Paula Deen
I had the opportunity to visit
have helped propel a career in floral and interior design. Our first stop was the studio house where “Paula’s Best Dishes” is filmed. Once the main home of
Paula’s day-to-day activities. Two years after he started,
his own garden, as well as Paula’s on set. His goal is to make her
Paula gave him the opportunity to
kitchen look natural and beautiful,
decorate the set for her show.
as well as open and inviting.
“In the beginning it was all about
Our next stop was Paula’s
Paula and her husband, Michael
trial and error,” Brandon said. “I
home to check wardrobe, make-
Groover, the house now serves
had to figure out what colors and
up and hair for the magazine
primarily as a TV set. As Brandon
types of flowers worked on camera.
shoot. Brandon gave a tour of
showed me around, he described
Things in television don’t translate
the property, and showed off the
meeting Paula.
the same way as in a magazine, and
beautiful gardens he helped design.
“I moved to Savannah in 2001, and met Paula’s niece through
Brandon described the amount of planning that goes into designing a
had become famous,” he stated.
television set.
Paula,’ and I was hired shortly after.”
—Brandon Branch
“We have an entire room full of dishes, kitchenware and various
“I used lots of native plants when planning the landscape for
personal assistant. During the early
stated. “The colors and design of
Paula’s new home,” he stated. “My
years of her Emmy Award winning
the props are chosen based on the
goal was to make her house look
series Paula’s Home Cooking, he
theme of the show, dishes she is
as if it naturally fit into the marsh
took on various roles such as
preparing, and the particular time
and its surroundings.”
handling the production schedule,
of year the show will be aired.”
assisting on set, and managing
Above, a kitchen designed by Brandon Branch
“Growing up in Mississippi, I always thought MSU was the place to go.”
tools used to stage the set,” he
Brandon’s first job was as Paula’s
Above top, floral arrangement at Paula Deen’s home
color is the most important factor.”
some friends. This was before Paula “Carrie introduced me to ‘Aunt
Above left, studio house for “Paula’s Best Dishes”
Brandon utilizes flowers from
Raised on a small dairy farm near Tylertown, Brandon developed a
Alumnus WINTER 2011 13
Both photos on right by Deborah Whitlaw Llewellyn
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love for gardening and horticulture Floral arrangement in canoe, above, at Paula Deen’s home for her niece’s wedding Turtle shells, top right, are one of Branch’s design signatures Branch in Alaska, top right, at a photo shoot for Cooking with Paula Deen
as a young teenager. He would
Like most horticulture
“Choosing wardrobe for television and print is different,”
prepare floral arrangements for his
majors at MSU, Brandon had
Brandon described. “In print,
church and home, cutting fresh
the opportunity to work in the
jewelry cannot be too bright or
flowers from his family farm.
University Florist, as well as study
heavy, and in television smaller
under passionate and energetic
pieces can get lost.”
“Gardening and floral design have always been a part of my
professors such as Lynnette
life,” he said. “My grandmother
McDougald and Jim Del Prince.
instilled in me a love for plants,
“The thing about Brandon is
Shortly after meeting with the wardrobe consultant, Paula emerged from her bedroom for hair and
and taught me everything I know
that he is so funny and fun to
make-up. She is as charming and
about flowers.”
be around, yet he has remained
Southern as she appears on TV, and
humble despite his success,” stated
her “down to earth” personality is
Del Prince, professor of floral design
one of her best qualities.
“I had so much fun studying floral design that I didn’t think of it as work or school.”
for the College of Agriculture and
“Paula and I are extremely close,
Life Sciences. “I remember how
and I consider her to be like a
he always made appointments to
second mom,” said Brandon. “She
come to my office and discuss his
has made me part of her family,
educational goals. He knew what he
and we stay so busy that we don’t
design led him to Mississippi State
wanted to do after graduation, and
have time to stop and process how
University to pursue a degree in
really went after it.”
famous she has become.”
—Brandon Branch
Brandon’s passion for floral
horticulture.
14 Alumnus WINTER 2011
think of it as work or school.”
After a tour of Paula’s gardens
Paula’s relationship with
“Growing up in Mississippi, I
and home, Brandon and I made
Brandon is one reason the duo
always thought MSU was the place
our way inside to meet with the
has been so successful. In addition
to go,” he said. “I had so much fun
stylist and discuss wardrobe and
to work with the TV series and
studying floral design that I didn’t
jewelry for the shoot.
magazine, they co-wrote an
Savannah Style interior design book titled Paula
the day was in order. As soon as
Deen’s Savannah Style. Published in
everything was set, Paula and
2010, the 224-page book features
her husband, Michael, arrived
porch, I asked Brandon what
beautiful photography and home
and began the first of three
inspires him as a designer.
decorating tips capturing the true
photography sessions.
essence of Southern style.
Brandon briefed Paula on the
surroundings of the marshland.
As we sat rocking on the back
“Just look around at the beautiful trees, the marsh, the flowers. A lot
“Savannah Style came out
first scene, which was a cover for
of my ideas I draw directly from
of a desire for us to illustrate
a specialty magazine coming out
nature,” he stated. “I dream things
the beauty of Savannah, while
after Christmas.
up at night, and figure out a way to
showing America how we live in
Most sets are a frenzy of activity,
create it the next day.” Of all his life experiences,
the South,” he described. “It’s like a
with staff running around styling
love letter, or an invitation to come
the scene, prepping the talent with
Brandon credits Mississippi State
and see our home.”
hair and make-up, and making
for much of what he has achieved.
sure every detail in the frame is
“We had amazing projects in
The book took a total of two years to write and select photography. Brandon and Paula
clean and ready to go. Though all of these details were
school, and professors that taught us the sky was the limit,” he said.
wanted everything to be realistic, so
proficiently covered, the attitude
“My education kept me from going
images of all four seasons depicted
on set was much different than
back to the dairy farm, and opened
in the book were taken in season.
I imagined. Paula’s photo shoot
every door for me.”
About mid-morning, Brandon
reminded me of Savannah itself, with
The success of graduates like
settled Paula with hair and make-
a laid-back atmosphere and charm
Brandon Branch truly captures the
up, and we moved to the location
found only in the Deep South.
diversity and excellence an MSU
for the photo shoot. Brandon
During the eight-hour session,
education has to offer. “If you can walk in a room with
checked with the magazine staff
we enjoyed sitting on the veranda,
and photographers to make sure
chatting about past and future
a college degree, you are way ahead
projects, and admiring the beautiful
of the game.” •
“It’s like a love letter, or an invitation to come and see our home.” —Brandon Branch on Paula Deen’s Savannah Style Above photo of Deen and Branch by Chia Chiung Chong
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