Tom Douglas Restaurants

Tom Douglas creates deliciousness, served with graciousness at 13 different joints, all in the Belltown and South Lake Union neighborhoods of Seattle. With more than 30 years dedicated to the Seattle restaurant scene, he is credited with putting the city on the culinary map, showing the world what local and seasonal Pacific Northwest cuisine means. Beginning with the Dahlia, in 1989, Tom and his wife Jackie expanded their kitchens with Etta's, Lola, Palace Kitchen, Serious Pie (now with two locations), Seatown Seabar and Rotisserie, and most recently Serious Biscuit, Brave Horse Tavern, Cuoco, and Ting Momo. Seasonal and local took on a new meaning for Tom and Jackie in 2005, when they purchased twenty acres in Prosser, WA, elected Jackie Farmer-in-Chief, and began what would become six acres of cultivated land, yielding 50,000 pounds of organically-grown produce for the restaurants in 2011. Tom also produces Rub with Love, a line of locally-made spice rubs, sauces, and snack mixes, available internationally and at the Seattle storefront location, the Rub with Love Shack. In addition to this store, Tom runs Dahlia Bakery (which produces bread and desserts for all of his restaurants), Dahlia Workshop, where he holds a variety of cooking classes and culinary demos, a catering business, and an event space, Palace Ballroom. Tom is the author of three cookbooks, Tom Douglas' Seattle Kitchen (Morrow, 2001), Tom's Big Dinners (Morrow, 2003), and I Love Crab Cakes (Morrow, 2006). The Dahlia Bakery Cookbook is due out in Fall 2012, and includes both sweet and savory favorites from the bakery, with an emphasis on technique and five-times-tested recipes. Tom is currently pursuing developing some of these delicious recipes into a line of packaged products. When he is not strolling the cobblestones downtown, in the restaurants and in the Pike Place Market, Tom is active on the Amtrak Culinary Advisory Team, as well as the Macy's Culinary Council. An avid proponent of Washington wines, Tom also works with Columbia Crest Winery, the second largest winery in the country, educating consumers about the delicious pours that his state has to offer. The commitment to feeding people extends beyond those who can afford a plate in one of his restaurants. Tom is on the board of Food Lifeline, an organization dedicated to eliminating hunger in western Washington. Tom Douglas Restaurants also partnered up with the Seattle School System in 2011 to re-design school lunches with a greater focus on nutrition and fresh foods. Tom and Jackie live in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle, where their dining room always has space for one more guest.