Jacob Schwimmer

Associate Partner

Raised in Charleston, South Carolina, Jacob was taught the importance of hospitality from a young age. He grew up learning the ropes in his father’s Chicago hot dog-focused delicatessen, and began his career in the restaurant industry as a dishwasher at age 13. Jacob recognized he was most passionate about the front of house roles and responsibilities, such as making genuine connections with the guests, and in 1997 he set off to University of South Carolina to pursue a degree in Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management with a specialization in Private Club Management. After graduating in 2001, Jacob moved to Palm Beach to manage private clubs along the east coast before moving to Chicago in 2004, where he worked at the Four Seasons and Fairmont Hotels for the following four years. 

Looking for an opportunity to grow and increase his skill set, Jacob joined Lettuce Entertain You in 2008 as a Captain at L2O. Over the next decade, Jacob held various roles such as Dining Room Director at L2O, Wine Director at Everest and was the opening General Manager at Paris Club Bistro and Bar. In 2021, Jacob joined the team as General Manager of Mediterranean restaurant Ēma in River North, and after a year was named Director of Operations of both Ēma and its sister restaurant, Aba. Most recently, Jacob led the opening of Ēma’s second location in Glenview in September 2024 and is now proud to be an Associate Partner. Jacob’s favorite part of the job is getting to know the guests, and making sure each dining experience is a memorable one. 

In his free time, Jacob enjoys researching future travel destinations with his wife, and taking advantage of all the exciting outdoor activities Chicago has to offer during the summer.