Chef Dan Jacobs is the head chef and co-owner of Milwaukee’s EsterEv, a globally inspired tasting menu concept, and DanDan, a modern Chinese-American restaurant with Midwest sensibility. A four-time James Beard Best Chef Midwest Semifinalist and 2024 Nominee alongside his business partner, Chef Dan Van Rite, Jacobs also champions causes beyond the kitchen, including his advocacy for independent restaurants through the IRC and organizations like World Central Kitchen and No Kid Hungry. Diagnosed with Kennedy’s Disease in 2016, a rare neuromuscular disorder, Jacobs continues to run two acclaimed restaurants while raising $90,000 and counting for awareness. This year, Jacobs earned national acclaim as the runner-up on Top Chef Season 21, filmed in his home state of Wisconsin.