Ben Jacobs
Co-Owner
Tocabe
Denver, CO USA
“I don’t want a job—I want a purpose.”
Videos
By Roadtrip NationBen Jacobs
Milestones
My road in life has been direct.
I’m a member of the Osage Nation from northeast Oklahoma.
My family and I moved to Denver, Colorado, where my parents opened a restaurant called Gray Horse: An American Indian Eatery.
After college, I knew that I wanted to do something that was tied to my identity—for me, that was food.
I was inspired by my parents’ restaurant and used it as a prototype to create my own restaurant where Native people and the community at large can both enjoy Native American cuisine.
Together with my business partner, Matt Chandra, we opened Tocabe: An American Indian Eatery in 2008.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Bachelor
History, General
University of Denver
History, General
University of Denver
Career
Co-Owner
I own a restaurant that specializes in Native American cuisine.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Food
Entrepreneurship
Working with Others
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for everyone
Follow the path that leads to you to work that inspires you. What I studied through university has helped me in my path but not specifically directed at the work I do. Education and inspiration are key to building toward driven success. My advice for opening a restaurant is to talk to anyone who has a wallet. Don't limit yourself to just chefs or the mayor. Talk to everybody because that shows that you have a vision and you're not afraid to go after it.
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Society in General:
"Native American cuisine needs to fit an old, dated, historic image."
Interviewed By
Native Way Forward
Rising Native leaders are fighting for a brighter future
