Meet Thomas Self

Meet Thomas Self!

He has just joined forces with Matt Kellogg and Chris Faul as co-owners of The Hollywood Tavern.

Thomas’ experience in the industry goes back his teens when he began working at a restaurant at 15 years old, was promoted to kitchen manager of a high-volume seafood restaurant at 18, and then promoted to general manager just before turning 20!

He has held GM and AGM positions at companies such as Red Lobster, Red Robin, and The Cheesecake Factory before finding his way to Tutta Bella Neapolitan Pizzeria in Seattle. At Tutta Bella he served as GM and most recently as director of operations for four years. Now we’re thrilled to welcome him to Woodinville as part of The Hollywood Tavern family.

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Get to know more about Thomas in our Q&A.

What inspired you to work in the restaurant industry?

I love the dynamic, fast-paced nature of the industry, the challenge of building and leading teams, the orchestration and planning required for success, and the reward of working with and for guests and team members.

What drew you to The Hollywood Tavern?

The Tavern is a fun and friendly place where people come to relax and enjoy high-quality, scratch-made comfort food and craft beverages. It’s a place where I want to spend my free time, so it was a natural fit.

What is one thing you’d like for people to know about The Hollywood Tavern?

The tavern is a ‘come as you are’ neighborhood establishment where local, high-quality products and tradition intersect, and without pretense.

Whether you want a $10-$20 bottle of local and rare sour beer, or a $3 tallboy of PNW beer at happy hour, we’ve got you covered.

Whether you want the $15 house cocktail with high-end liquors/liqueurs, or a Jack and coke, we’ve got you covered.

If you want the Steak Frites with Rogue bleu compound butter, the Hollywood Burger with American cheese, or a beautiful and tasty salad with vegetables from Sound Sustainable Farms, we’ve got you there too.

What’s your favorite menu item at The Hollywood Tavern?

We do a lot of great things, but I think I’d have to go with either our Mac n’ Cheese (with fried chicken of course), the Hollywood Burger, or Mabel’s Cajun Chicken Sandwich.

Besides The Hollywood Tavern dishes, what is your favorite food?

Too hard to say. There isn’t anything I don’t like, but I may have a bias toward comfort food after growing up in Kentucky.

What’s your favorite Hollywood Tavern beverage?

I’d have to go with either The Hollywood Manhattan (our menu Manhattan made with Amaro Nonino instead of vermouth), the Drunk Monk (an awesome blend of rye, Carpano Antica Vermouth, and Yellow Chartreuse served with a single big rock), or the Winter Margarita (served up with a touch of Barolo Chinato dessert wine for the taste of the season).

What is your drink of choice?

Rye, bourbon, and scotch, or complex, premium cocktails with the first two.

Do you have a favorite beer?

​It depends on the weather. I love them all…sours, saisons, pilsners, IPAs, pales, stouts, porters, Kölsch, Belgians. You name it.

Where is your hometown?

Louisville, Kentucky. I moved to Seattle in 2006 and I’ve been here ever since except the one year I lived in Rome, Italy.

What is your favorite type of music and artists?

Americana/folk/singer-songwriter fusion is my go-to. Josh Ritter, Gregory Alan Isakov, to name a few.

What books are we most likely to find on your nightstand?

It’s hard to say, but I love the classics. I’ve read every single book by Jack Kerouac and Ernest Hemingway, and I also love Milan Kundera, Herman Hesse, and many others.

If you were not working in your profession, what would you do?

Maybe spend my time writing short fiction and try to publish.

Other than work, what are you passionate about?

Archery and hunting…as a hobby, survival skill and source of the purest food money can’t buy. I enjoy writing, reading and playing guitar, though I find little time for it anymore. ☹ Anything outdoors. Music. Physical Training. Cooking, when I really have time to do it right.