Layton Lecture: Chef Dan Jacobs
May 22, 6:15 pm–7:15 pm
Lubar Auditorium
Join Dan Jacobs—chef, co-owner of Milwaukee’s EsterEv and DanDan restaurants, and Top Chef runner-up—for a conversation on farming, food, and the art of culinary innovation. Inspired by the exhibition Farm to Frame, Jacobs will share how Midwest food traditions shape his cooking and the broader culinary landscape.
Farm to Frame features a selection of works from the historic Layton Collection, exploring how Wisconsin’s identity is intertwined with its agricultural roots. From rolling dairy farms to expansive crop fields, the state’s pastoral beauty has long inspired artists. The paintings and prints in Farm to Frame depict scenes of crop production specific to Wisconsin and give insight into the daily life of a farmer. Some works present romanticized views of the trade, while others showcase the harsh realities of rural life. Together, these works reflect agriculture’s vital role in shaping Wisconsin’s economy, culture, and artistic production.
This lecture is included with Museum admission and is free for Members. Admission tickets are available at the door or online.
About Dan Jacobs
Chef Dan Jacobs is the head chef and co-owner of acclaimed Milwaukee, WI restaurants EsterEv, a globally inspired tasting menu concept, and DanDan, a modern Chinese-American concept with Midwest sensibility. Jacobs and his business partner, Chef Dan Van Rite, are 5x James Beard Best Chef Midwest Semi-Finalists, and 2024 James Beard Best Chef Midwest Nominees, who extend their work far past the kitchen: Jacobs is an active member of the Independent Restaurant Coalition (IRC), was instrumental in the Restaurant Revitalization Fund’s $28.6B raise in 2021, and was one of four Americans to speak to President-Elect Biden on behalf of the independent restaurateurs. Dan is deeply involved in Main Street Alliance, World Central Kitchen, No Kid Hungry, and the James Beard Foundation’s Climate Solutions for Restaurant Survival Campaign.
Images:
- Robert Von Neumann Sr. (American, b. Germany, 1888–1976), Apple Harvest in the Kickapoo Valley (detail), ca. 1943. Oil on board. 25 1/4 × 37 1/4 in. (64.14 × 94.62 cm). Gift of Gimbel Bros., Milwaukee, M1959.45
- Photo of Dan Jacobs courtesy of Clay Williams
