i. Biography
The Path
Military service set the first terms of the work: Michael Jacob joined the U.S. Air Force, then helped run an officers club at a U.S. Air Force base in Michigan. That early post trained the habits that restaurants reward most—discipline, timing, and the ability to read a room before the room has said much at all. Minneapolis is where those habits became a restaurant practice. At Jacob's 101 Restaurant and Bar in Minneapolis, Minnesota (1971–1991), Michael Jacob was co-owner, then host until 1991. Both roles placed him inside the mechanics of a dining room: ownership on one side, front-door pacing on the other. He also served as host at Nye's in Minneapolis, Minnesota, adding another familiar room to a career built on steady, practiced hospitality. That same continuity carries into Le Crocodile (since 1983), where Michael Jacob is chef and owner. The throughline is not reinvention but consistency: service in the Air Force, restaurant leadership in Minneapolis, and a long-running place of his own. Across each stop, the craft is the same—hold the room, keep the standard, and make the night work.
The Work Today
At Le Crocodile (since 1983), Michael Jacob works from the center of the house as both chef and owner. That combination demands more than one skill set: kitchen judgment, floor awareness, and the kind of composure that keeps service moving without friction. The title is important, but the work is broader than the title. It includes the way a room is managed, the way an evening is paced, and the way hospitality is made legible to the guest. The shape of that practice is visible in the earlier rooms as well. Jacob's 101 Restaurant and Bar in Minneapolis, Minnesota (1971–1991) and Nye's in Minneapolis, Minnesota both required the front-of-house confidence that comes with long repetition. Moving from co-owner to host, then to chef and owner at Le Crocodile (since 1983), Michael Jacob shows the range of a restaurant career built on service as much as leadership.
Acclaim
Michael Jacob’s recognition is carried by duration and range. The progression from U.S. Air Force to a U.S. Air Force base in Michigan, then to Jacob's 101 Restaurant and Bar in Minneapolis, Minnesota (1971–1991), Nye's in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Le Crocodile (since 1983) marks a career that has stayed active across different kinds of service. That is its own proof of craft in this trade. What distinguishes the record is the consistency of the role: helping run an officers club, co-owning Jacob's 101 Restaurant and Bar in Minneapolis, Minnesota (1971–1991), serving as host until 1991, and later working as chef and owner at Le Crocodile (since 1983). Michael Jacob’s name shows up across those positions because the work is the same at each stop—keep the room moving, hold the standard, and make hospitality feel settled rather than forced.
Profile updated August 2026
FAQ
Asked of Michael
What is Michael Jacob's current role?
As of 2026, Michael Jacob is Chef and Owner.
Where did Michael Jacob work before?
Michael Jacob's earlier career included U.S. Air Force, U.S. Air Force base in Michigan, and Jacob's 101 Restaurant and Bar.
