Kate Jacoby

Coming Up

French and Sociology at Georgetown University gave Kate Jacoby a useful split: one discipline for language, one for the social mechanics of dining. That combination shows up later in the way restaurants are framed, staffed, and read by guests. Since 2011, she has been General Manager and co-owner of Vedge, a position that puts her inside the day-to-day making of one of Philadelphia’s most distinct restaurant identities.

Where They Are Now

At Vedge, the work is in the details that hold a room together: pace, tone, consistency, and the discipline of a clear point of view. As General Manager and co-owner, Kate Jacoby helps shape both service and the larger purpose the restaurant communicates. The room reads as deliberate, not improvised, with each part of the experience carrying the same idea forward.

Career - General Manager and Co-owner — Vedge, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (2011–present) Education: Georgetown University; studied French and Sociology

Signature

Daffodil, Smoked Corn Silk Old Fashioned, Golden Apple, and Per My Last Email point to a naming sense that is nimble, pointed, and not interested in flattening the plate into plain description. Kate Jacoby’s signatures suggest a register that can carry wit without losing precision. The effect is a list that feels edited, specific, and built to leave a mark.

In Their Words “We opened Vedge in November 2011 to put forth an example of a new genre of restaurant: the Vegetable Restaurant.” That line sets the project in clear terms: Vedge was meant to argue for a category, not simply join one. In November 2011, the restaurant arrived with an explicit thesis and the confidence to state it plainly. “See, we had been in this industry so long, successfully operating as Horizons, Philadelphia's celebrated vegan restaurant.” The line points to continuity rather than rupture. Experience at Horizons, Philadelphia's celebrated vegan restaurant, sits behind the current work and explains the steadiness of the vision that followed.

FAQ Where did Kate Jacoby train or study? Kate Jacoby trained at Georgetown University; studied French and Sociology. What recognition has Kate Jacoby received? James Beard Award for Best Pastry Chef semifinalist (2015).