Paula Deen made her first public appearance at a Texas cooking show, since a scandal halted her career.
The celebrity chef told the 1,400 people in the audience at Houston's Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining Show there was no other state where she would want to make her first step at a comeback ABC News reported.
"I've said all along that the one place that I would want to make my first step back out was Texas," she said. "Y'all's hearts are as big as your state."
Deen's appearance came about three months after she asked America for forgiveness for using a racial slur, and saw her brand suffer. The case started after Lisa Jackson, who worked for Deen at her restaurant Lady and Sons in Savannah, Ga., sued the chef for racial and sexual discrimination.
While speaking on the show, the chef became teary-eyed as she reflected on what she termed "a rough patch" she went through this summer. Joining Deen on stage at the show were her two sons Jamie and Bobby.
A federal judge in Georgia dismissed the racial discrimination claims made against Deen. This led to her and Jackson reaching a settlement. Because of the case, many companies ended deals with Deen such as Smithfield, Wal-Mart, Target, and Home Depot.
Attendees to the two-day event were treated to cooking demonstrations, tasting workshops, book signings, and appearances by celebrities from the Food Network.
Deen went to Twitter to inform her millions of followers that she would be on an episode of her son, Jamie's show on the Food Network.
"Home for Dinner with Jamie Deen this morning," she said.
Deen has other upcoming appearances which include the Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining Show's Dallas swing on Saturday and Sunday with Bobby Deen.
She also has several book signing events scheduled throughout her various restaurants in Savannah in order to promote Jamie's new cookbook for the rest of the year.
