I can’t stand it when restaurants don’t have a sense of place in a city. When I’m in London, I want to know I’m in London. When you’re sitting in my joint, you know you’re sitting in Seattle. – Tom Douglas
I think about sustainability all the time, whether it’s with fish or farmers in Eastern Oregon. – Tom Douglas
Mastering one recipe is better than mastering too many. Learn something and own it, and you’ll feel so much better about it. You’ll have more confidence if you’ve made it five times, and that confidence adds so much fun to cooking. – Tom Douglas
I think that people need to stand up with their backbone and not go to places where they feel like the workers aren’t taken care of. – Tom Douglas
Catfish’s mild taste adapts well to a wide array of flavors, especially strong assertive ones, which is why you used to see it ‘blackened’ Cajun style on so many restaurant menus – a trick which soon became a tired cliche. – Tom Douglas
Most of the catfish you find at the fish counter has been farmed. Though I usually prefer to buy and eat wild fish, farmed catfish taste cleaner, without the muddy taste of their wild relatives. – Tom Douglas
The key to great fried squid is ‘flash-frying’ in hot oil for only a few minutes, which keeps it tender. – Tom Douglas
Spooning a seasonal fruit relish onto a plate of grilled king salmon is very much my style – flavorful, straightforward, and unfussy. I also like the way fresh, ripe fruit balances the richness of the salmon. – Tom Douglas
I pay a living wage, I believe in healthcare, I declare all my income, and I don’t cut corners. – Tom Douglas
My longtime friend Steven Steinbock, who has worked with me for more than thirty years, is a master at panfrying fish and seafood. – Tom Douglas
The simplest way to prepare Dungeness crabs is to boil them in the shell and set them in front of your guests with crab crackers or crab hammers, cocktail forks, and plenty of napkins. – Tom Douglas
Horseradish is one of those perk-me-ups. You can use it in a cocktail sauce, you can bread fish with it – it loses its punch when cooked. It’s a ‘What is that?’ flavor. It adds depth of flavor to things. – Tom Douglas
Every time you make a fruit crisp for me, you are my favorite person in the world. It’s something delicious and warm, right out of the oven. I mean, what more could anyone want? And all you’re doing is taking the best fruit of the season, putting a crumb topping on it and putting it in the oven. – Tom Douglas
My wife and I decided to try and kick start our kitchens to a $15 minimum wage for cooks. I’ve probably had to go through and raise every menu price now by 50 cents because it took away my profit. I just underestimated what it was going to cost. – Tom Douglas
Utrip makes it easy for travelers to experience the destination highlights that most interest them, be it food, art or history. Just like a culinary experience, every palate is different, and Utrip is all about personalizing travel for their users. – Tom Douglas
I want to do the basic things, like putting my daughter to bed. It’s the sweetest thing. – Tom Douglas
If you don’t have the confidence in baking, commit to making the recipe three times. The first two, do it exactly the way I’ve told you to make it. Twice. The first time you’ll screw it up. The second time it will come out pretty good, and then the third time, make your adjustments. – Tom Douglas