Tom Douglas

“The two things that are going to make you a better baker without even trying are a scale and a thermometer in your oven.”

“The flesh of king salmon, which varies in color from white to pink to red, has a high fat content, making it perfect for grilling.”

“I've been taught by everyone I've ever worked with.”

“I can't believe how many people don't have time to cook but have time to watch football and 'The Voice.' They're certainly making a choice.”

“Around the time I opened my second restaurant, Etta's, I had just finished judging at the Jack Daniels World Invitational BBQ Championship in Lynchburg, Tennessee. Back home in Seattle, my goal was to recreate the sweet and smoky taste of that BBQ using our local wild king salmon instead of pig.”

“The key to great fried squid is 'flash-frying' in hot oil for only a few minutes, which keeps it tender.”

“I'm a compassionate person, so if a product is 15 percent more than what I typically pay, and I see the purpose, I'll foster that kind of sustainability for the farmers/fishers.”

“It's just an American tradition to make sure people don't leave hungry. The worst thing is to have them say, 'Great dinner, but now I have to go get a burger.'”

“Steaming is a great way to cook any firm fleshed fish, but it's often overlooked by the home cook.”

“I don't ever preach to people.”

“It's important that your shucked oyster is clean and pristine.”

“Maybe there are too many restaurants. Maybe some of mine need to close. So be it. I'll live with the market place.”

“One of my favorite ways to eat albacore is tuna poke.”

“Thanks to the abundance of shellfish in Puget Sound, Washington State is the largest oyster producer in the country.”

“Sweet, delicious Dungeness crab is always a treat.”

“The best meal I was served was ribollita, an Italian bread soup at the Castello di Ama winery in Tuscany. I usually hate ribollita, and the people I was traveling with thought I was crazy for ordering it.”

“I love being able to help promote Seattle to travelers worldwide.”

“Catfish has a nice firm texture and mild flavor.”

“Another way I like to barbecue king salmon is as a whole fish stuffed, literally to the gills, with sweet onions, sliced lemons, and summer sage.”

“Some of the best things you do are the things you don't do.”