Mention the name Tom Douglas in any part of Seattle and you’ll receive an array of responses: from the reverent silence that comes when speaking of something wonderful, the sounds of joy from a recent diner, raving about one of Tom’s five restaurants, to admiration for his work to end hunger. A Delaware native who started out cooking crab cakes at the Hotel Dupont in Wilmington, Tom headed west in 1977 to Seattle where he was hired as the chef at Café Sport, located in the famous Pike Place Market. Tom won national attention in the mid 1980’s when he opened the first of his own restaurants, Dahlia Lounge. He’s been opening restaurants and starting new business ventures ever since. Over the course of more than 20 years, Tom has helped to define Northwest cuisine. Tom’s creativity with local ingredients and his respect for Seattle’s ethnic traditions have earned him national recognition and numerous awards, including “Best Chef: Northwest” from the James Beard Association in 1994. His restaurant, Palace Kitchen, was nominated for “Best New Restaurant” by the James Beard Association in 1997 and Dahlia Lounge, called the “quintessential Seattle restaurant,” was nominated for “Best Restaurant” by the James Beard Association in 2006. Most recently, Tom received the 2008 James Beard nomination in the category of Outstanding Restaurateur.

Never one to turn down an exciting challenge, Tom appeared on the Food Network’s Iron Chef in 2005. Using the secret ingredient of Alaskan salmon, Tom battled Iron Chef Masuhara Morimoto and won, defeating Morimoto for only the second time in the show’s history. Tom’s love of food continues to evolve beyond the restaurant scene. His specialty food line, which includes Rub with Love spice rubs, barbecue and teriyaki sauces, glazes and marinades, is sold nationwide. Tom has also written three popular cookbooks: Tom Douglas’ Seattle Kitchen, which won “Best Americana Cookbook” from the James Beard Association, Tom’s Big Dinners and I Love Crab Cakes. Tom also hosts his own weekly radio talk show, Tom Douglas’ Seattle Kitchen, and designs five course gourmet menus for the Seattle location of Teatro Zinzanni’s Dinner and Dreams, a unique cabaret and dinner theater. Tom, along with his wife and business partner, Jackie Cross, own five Seattle restaurants.

Etta’s, named after Tom and Jackie’s daughter, Loretta, is a casual fish house offerings such delicacies as Flash Fried Pacific Calamari or a simple cheese plate complemented by red wine figs and Spanish Almonds. You can also sample some of Tom’s specialty food line at Etta’s. Rub with Love is paired with wild Alaskan King Salmon and served with sweet corn bread pudding. As with all of Tom’s restaurants, you’ll end your meal enjoying the sights and sounds of downtown Seattle while treating your palate to an evening of flavors from the Northwest.