Jacob Holmström was born and raised in Halmstad. As the son of Halmstad figure and restaurateur Stefan Holmström, Jacob spent much of his childhood in the kitchen, learning the craft and gaining respect for the profession early on. After finishing school, he chose to study Hotel and Restaurant Management at Sturegymnasiet in Halmstad. Once he completed his studies, he worked in Halmstad for a year before venturing out in search of further learning.

This journey took him to Gothenburg and Linnea, followed by Oslo to work at the two-star Bagatelle. After Oslo, Jacob headed to Paris to work for Pascal Barbot at the three-star Astrance. This time was, without a doubt, the most formative period of his career as a chef.

After Paris, he moved to Stockholm to work at the newly opened Mathias Dahlgren, where he spent four highly educational years before opening his first restaurant together with his friend and colleague Anton Bjuhr.

Gastrologik became their shared dream restaurant, a place where they spent more time than at home. The kitchen reflected everything they had learned abroad, applied exclusively to Swedish ingredients. Gastrologik opened at the end of 2011, and in early 2013, the restaurant earned its first Michelin star. In 2019, it received its second star.

At the end of 2022, Jacob and Anton sold the restaurant to pursue new adventures. Jacob and his family moved back to Halmstad.

In 2023, Jacob received the honor of cooking at the Nobel Banquet—a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a chef.

In the spring of 2024, Jacob opened his new venture in Tylösand together with his wife, Emelie Leijon. Emelie, a designer and communicator, is responsible for the visual identity, marketing, and managing major bookings.