Tom Douglas

For more than three decades, James Beard Award–winning chef Tom Douglas has been a driving force in shaping Pacific Northwest cuisine. A self-taught chef with a passion for fresh, local ingredients, Douglas first made his mark at Seattle’s Café Sport in 1984 before opening his flagship Dahlia Lounge with his wife and business partner, Jackie Cross, in 1989.

Dahlia Lounge quickly became a Seattle icon, earning national recognition, including the James Beard award for Outstanding Restaurateur and Best Chef Northwest in 1994. Since then, he has built an expansive restaurant group — spanning celebrated spots such as Palace Kitchen, Lola, Neb, Half Shell, Mr. Fish, The Carlile Room and multiple Serious Pie locations — alongside ventures like the Dahlia Bakery, his “Rub with Love” spice line, the Hot Stove Society cooking school and his Hot Stove Society radio show.

Today, Douglas leads Tom Douglas & Co. alongside his wife, Jackie Cross, their daughter, Loretta Douglas, and partners Eric Tanaka and Sean Hartley. True to his motto, “No one can out-effort us,” he continues to inspire the culinary world with his drive, creativity, and commitment to community.