COLUMBUS, Ohio — There’s a reason we call Thanksgiving “turkey day.” Americans will eat around 46 million of the birds on the holiday, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.

While roasting in the oven is a traditional way to prepare the poultry, the crisp of a deep-fried turkey can be tough for some folks to resist.

Chef Donte Woods has a lot of experience in the kitchen.

“Really, my whole life,” he said. “It’s what I love to do.”

He turned his talent into CheffGod Catering, and on Thanksgiving, the business heats up.

He’s tackling deep-fried turkeys for the first time at home this year, after using this technique in the restaurant setting.

“I always try to do my research before I get to doing anything new,” Woods said. “See what other people made mistakes on.”

And learn from it.

After thoroughly thawing the turkey, Woods turned off the flame under the deep fryer when it reached 350 degrees.

“This way, if any grease or anything spillover, it won’t go into the fire and create a bigger fire,” he said.

Then dipped the bird slowly into the pot to avoid splatter. He reignited the flame once the turkey was totally in the fryer.

Taking safety precautions is especially important when using this cooking method. Columbus Division of Fire Lt. Nicholas Davis said crews respond to a handful of fryer fires each year, usually sparked when a turkey isn’t completely thawed.

“The cold turkey and then the hot cooking oil just reacts violently, and you just get a lot of fire getting thrown everywhere,” Davis said.

Because of that, he said it’s important to stay away from overhangs and use the fryer in an open area. Flames can quickly get out of hand.

“It’s kind of like nothing’s going on to instant fire everywhere,” he said. “And it’s kind of just so much for somebody to overcome with just a bucket of water or a garden hose, and then it gets into the structure, and then that’s when we show up.”

He recommends keeping a fire extinguisher handy, just in case.

Woods said he takes safety seriously.

“I have never caused a fire, thank God,” he said. “I’m always very careful. I always try to be safe.”

Safety also means ensuring the turkey is fully cooked to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees by using a meat thermometer.

“You always want to take it, stick it in the thicker part of the meat,” he said. “So I’m gonna use the breast just to make sure.”

To Woods, food is love.

“This is me and my granddad actually cooking outside on the grill,” he said while looking at an old photograph.

Woods said he watched his grandparents bring people together through their love of cooking and each other. After his grandfather passed away, Woods earned his culinary degree and chef license.

“He would be very, very proud of me,” he said, of his granddad. “He was always there for me. Always helped me out. Always congratulate me on the little wins.”

On Thanksgiving, Woods said he’s grateful for the memories and his future, able to feed both his passion and other people.