Best Spokesperson for Old-School Restaurants in Nashville 2026: Tom Morales
Tom Morales has never been afraid of hard things. Growing up in Madison with nine siblings, he had to battle for his spot at the table. As a movie caterer with his successful TomKats operation, he provided the food for the cast and crew of Rapa-Nui on Easter Island — which meant that if Jason Scott Lee wanted a cookie, Morales had better have the ingredients on hand or somebody was taking a long boat ride. He consulted for craft services on the Lord of the Rings set. (Do you realize how difficult it is to create an orc-friendly menu?) So when he speaks about the deleterious effect that rising property taxes are having on his business and the restaurant industry writ large — as he’s done significantly this year — he’s not just whining. Civic leaders would be wise to listen to the man.
