Seattle chef Tom Douglas finalist for James Beard Award

Tom Douglas has just been named a finalist for one of the highest honors in food. (AP Photo)

Northwest chef and Seattle Kitchen host Tom Douglas has
just been named a finalist for one of the highest honors
in food.

Douglas, the restaurateur behind at least a dozen
Seattle
eateries, was nominated in the Outstanding
Restaurateur category for the James Beard
Awards. According to the website,
a candidate has to be “a
working restaurateur who sets high national standards in
restaurant operations and entrepreneurship.”

“It’s a national award and there are lots of deserving
people, but we’re sure excited to be in the top five,”
said Douglas.

Douglas is competing against Bruce Bromberg and Eric
Bromberg of Blue Ribbon Restaurants in New York, Piero
Selvaggio of the Valentino Restaurant Group in Santa
Monica, Caroline Styne of Lucques/A.O.C./Tavern in Los
Angeles, and Phil Suarez of the Suarez Restaurant Group in
Los Angeles.

He told 97.3 KIRO FM’s Ross and Burbank Show that this is his fifth time being nominated in the category and he doesn’t think it’s very likely he’ll take it.

Listen to Seattle chef Tom Douglas on Ross and Burbank

“You’re up against every restaurateur in America and the people that vote are supposed to have eaten in your restaurant. It’s just a little bit difficult for people to have tried our restaurants in Seattle compared to say restaurant groups in New York or Chicago,” said Douglas. “We get nominated a ton, and we’re thrilled about that, but it is hard for us to win a national award.”

Other Northwest notables, Jason Franey of Canlis, and Matt Dillon of Sitka
and Spruce, are finalists in the Best Chef Northwest
category.

The winners of the James Beard Awards will be announced on
May 7.

Seattle
Kitchen can be heard on the new 97.3 KIRO FM Weekend
on Saturday at 8 a.m. and Sunday at 10 a.m. Available
anytime ON
DEMAND at MyNorthwest.com.