ow to Enjoy Food:
Experiences with his grandmother helped shape Tom’s love affair with food…and food at the heart of enjoying life.

“My Grandma Fogarty taught me how to sip Jack Daniels and chug Pabst Blue Ribbon,” Douglas says, with a grin. She taught me how to dine. Her husband was an exec for the railroads, in the 30s and 40s, when some of the best food was in the dining car. She would cook all day in her house dress and disappear at 5pm into her bedroom. She’d come out in a nice dress, have a high ball, and start the process of dinner. I always loved that about grandma Fogarty. Dinner was not something to be missed and rushed through. It was an event, an experience.”

What Needs To Be Good…For A Good Meal:
“The sex afterwards. Or before. Or during. Just kidding.” Douglas pauses. “Not really. Has to be the music. I try to listen to something that goes with my meal. In some ways it puts me in the mood to do something. I like picking music to match the food. Great vegetables. I love steak and protein. But if it doesn’t match up with the vegetable. Whatever it is, I love the fresh vegetable.”

Good Food, Like Style, Doesn’t Require Tons of Effort or Time
“My pet peeve about cooking is that people always say they don’t have time to cook. Yet millions of people watch American Idol for an hour and do nothing on the couch. I think every kitchen should have a television. People should cook while watching TV.”