Growing up in my family’s restaurant and bakery in Chicago laid the foundation for my culinary journey.
I moved to New York for school and to hone my skills under the mentorship of some of the best chefs in the city. Working under chefs David Chang and Joshua Pinsky (Momofuku) expanded my culinary abilities, and exposed me to styles that continue to impact my cooking today.
After my time in New York, cooking brought me to a handful of countries to learn and develop my craft, including:
- Denmark (Noma) where I contributed to the reopening of Noma 2.0 and learned preservation, fermentation, and maturation techniques using the best products of the Danish landscape.
- Japan (Terada Honke & DEN Restaurant) where I spent time preparing and brewing organic rice for sake in one of Japan’s oldest sake houses and learned preparation techniques from one of Tokyo’s finest chefs.
I moved to Los Angeles to work alongside Chef Junya Yamasaki in the opening of Yess Restaurant, where we explored the best of Southern California's bounty. Drawing inspiration from the local farmers, fishermen, and meat farms, and spending the weekends in the water harvesting fresh fish ourselves, we created a restaurant that showcased the beautiful products of the region.
Throughout my career, I have always loved cooking for friends, family, and clients — whether in a restaurant or at their homes, whether for intimate dinners or larger gatherings. I’m happy to bring my experiences cooking around the world to your table.
— Jacob
Beyond his private work in Los Angeles, Jacob developed the menu for Emmi’s Lake Geneva, translating the same ingredient-driven, seasonal approach into a full restaurant menu.