Alumni Spotlight: Jacob Hallberg ('17)
At Pinoyshki, a Filipino–Eastern European pastry joint kitty-corner from Seattle Central, dozens of unique pastries fill the shelves, from the savory pork sisig to the delectably sweet chocolate cream cheese. But one pastry stands out in appearance: the sausage pithivier, a round puff pastry filled with rich sausage and gravy — decorated with a smiling pig face.
The sausage pithivier is the brainchild of masseuse-turned-pastry chef Jacob Hallberg (‘17), who started selling his creation with the support and encouragement of Pinoyshki owner Alyssa Anderson. Hallberg’s pastry bridges three distinct beats of his life: his tenure as a culinary professional, the flavors of his childhood, and his time as a student Seattle Culinary Academy, where he first created the sausage pithivier, and was able to transform a lifelong love of creating and sharing food with others into a career.
Sharing food with people is how you show them you love them
Growing up in Florida with parents from the Midwest, Hallberg recalls eating a lot of Americana and Southern cuisine — and a lot of casseroles. His experimentation with cooking first stemmed from emulating recipes he saw on PBS cooking shows, like Yan Can Cook and The Frugal Gourmet. “I would see something on TV and think, ‘I bet I can figure that out,’” he explained. “It wasn’t about experimenting without a plan; it was more targeted experiments — trying to recreate something I saw.”
Relieved of cooking for Halberg and his many siblings, his mother enjoyed the break, while Halberg found passion in his tv-guided experimentation. A large part of this passion, he explained, was the gratification that came from making something with his own hands. Another was the special connections he created through cooking, first with family and friends, and later, with peers and customers. “Sharing food with people is how you show them you love them,” he said. “It serves as such a good medium for cultural interaction and community building.”
Hallberg had spent several years working in restaurants, and knew he enjoyed that kind of work environment. As he neared his mid-20s, Hallberg remembered the massage industry taking off and became curious about pursuing it as a career. “I like the idea of having a physical skill and working with my hands. [Massage] seemed like something I might have a knack for, and it turns out I did,” he said. After completing training in Florida, Hallberg moved to Seattle in 2007, where he received his Washington license and completed the bulk of his career as a massage therapist.
But massage eventually ran its course in Hallberg’s life, and he found himself wanting to pursue other passions. “I was working in Capitol Hill for a long time, and after about nine or 10 years, I thought, ‘you know, I want to work somewhere where the lights are on and I don’t have to be quiet,’” he reflected. “It was really starting to get to me.”
While Hallberg had always enjoyed cooking as a hobby, he never imagined it would turn into a full-fledged career. Hallberg had long considered becoming a chef, but didn’t want to run a business instead of doing what he truly loved — just cooking. “I had always been a home cook, loved food, loved cooking. But when I realized I wasn’t happy anymore in massage therapy, I started thinking about what my next step could be.” The answer came quickly: culinary school.
They did a great job of making it feel like coaching, not criticizing
After hearing consistently positive feedback about the culinary program at Seattle Central College, Hall began researching the possibility of enrolling. “I decided to go for it.” he said. Hallberg enrolled in 2016.
His time at Seattle Central was full of positive experiences, particularly with the instructors who guided him through the program. “They did a great job of making it feel like coaching, not criticizing.” Hallberg recalled. “Each instructor had a different approach, and I really enjoyed that.”
Hallberg’s passion for baking was particularly nurtured under the guidance of Chef Don Reed, who helped hone his skills in bread-making and lamination, the process of creating multiple thin layers of dough by folding and rolling butter. “I was always excited to work on that side of the kitchen,” he said.
While Hallberg was a natural at breads, creating cakes and other desserts didn’t come as easily. He explained how his confidence grew during his time at SCC, realizing that even tasks he wasn’t initially drawn to could be mastered with effort and guidance. “It was gratifying to feel like, ‘okay, at least I can do it,’” he said.
As for his fellow culinary students? Hallberg said he “had an absolute blast.” In particular, he highlighted how a supportive and collaborative atmosphere — rather than an intensely competitive one — made his cohort’s experience special. While Hallberg didn’t have much time to hang out with his peers outside of class due to his evening massage job, his cohort would occasionally gather for drinks and dinner for years after finishing the program in 2017. This bond with his peers remains deeply important to him, even as it grows more distant.
Hallberg’s first job post-graduation was at a now-defunct market on Mercer Island, where he dove headfirst into bread production. He eventually moved to Columbia City Bakery, where he gained even more valuable baking experience. After the bakery shut down their wholesale bread production, Hallberg moved to Pinoyshki, where he’s remained since 2018.
Pinoyshki transformed under owner Alyssa Anderson, who introduced a more culturally diverse menu. The Filipino-Eastern European fusion that makes Pinoyshki pastries so unique and delicious has also given way to other kinds of fusions and collaborations, like Hallberg’s biscuits and gravy-inspired sausage pithivier that he invented at Seattle Central.
Reflecting on his personal and professional journey, Hallberg feels incredibly fortunate for the life he has created. Hallberg’s husband — who also took some classes at Seattle Central — has even helped in Pinoyshki’s kitchen from time to time. Especially since Pinoyshki moved to Third Ave and Pine St near SCC, Hallberg has also worked with quite a few Seattle Culinary Academy students and feels grateful that he can give back by helping the next generation of chefs.
At Pinoyshki, Hallberg has found the perfect balance between stability and creativity: a space where his predictable but fulfilling routine can occasionally be broken by explosive new ideas for pastries, or by the opportunity to train a new pastry chef on summer break from SCA. “I am really genuinely so happy here, and I feel so at home.” he added. “I might die here at my workstation 40 years from now and that would be okay with me at this point.”