Brandon Branch Cover Story

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

S

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

S

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

Alumnus WINTER 2011 15