Meet Bobby Jackson | Chef & Distiller

We had the good fortune of connecting with Bobby Jackson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Bobby, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
Until I was 12, I lived in Chipita Park, an area between Manitou Springs & Green Mountain Falls, at the bottom of the Pikes Peak Highway. I loved living there, anything we felt like doing was a quick bike ride away. My best friend, James, and I would ride down to the pond and fish or go to the town swimming pool. Hiking wasn’t a planned activity, it was a necessary means of travel. We didn’t have to camp, because we mostly lived in the woods anyway. When I was 12, we moved 15 minutes down the road to Manitou Springs. It was a bigger town, but the same school district, so I didn’t have to make new friends or anything. We moved into a house across the street from my grandparents. They were a major factor in my life. Between my parents & my grandparents, I learned that hard work paid off. I got my first job at 13, doing pretty simple stuff at Santa’s Workshop until they moved me into the food service areas after a few months. My goal was to buy my first car, on my own, which I was able to do when I was 14. Through the rest of high school, I continued to work there, as well as a local hardware store. The work I did and the values my family taught me, lead me to have a desire to do things I was passionate about and put as much effort as possible into those things. It lead me to my desire to enlist in the US Air Force and later the Colorado Army National Guard. It also guided me into the culinary field and put me on a path of return to my home town. My ultimate goal became to go out and do whatever I could in the world, but return to my roots someday. I went out and did what I could, now I’m back working in the 2 towns of my upbringing, doing the 3 things I’m most passionate about: raising my family, passing on my knowledge and making the type of spirits that I want to share with the world.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m the Distillery Manager of Black Bear Distillery and Lead Instructor of Paragon Culinary School. Producing our normal line-up of spirits is exciting for me because it’s a challenge of consistency, but making something new is thrilling because until liquor is coming from the still, you don’t know how it will turn out (it’s more exciting when you produce something new that tastes great). Watching students transform from no professional kitchen experience to graduating & running kitchens of their own is one of my favorite parts about my work. I got to both of these positions by hard work and loyalty. I don’t see the people involved through the lense of work, they are like family. Of course, none of this was easy, there were financial decisions that had to be made, as well as incredibly difficult life decisions. In both cases, I had to regain and maintain faith that God was taking me to the place he wanted me and that everything would work out. I kept my faith, I worked hard and I learned what I could about whatever I was pursuing. I’ve learned that the people you consider reliable & loyal might be the ones who try to knock you back down when you achieve even the smallest success. While it may be difficult, sometimes you have to just move on without them. On the other hand, I have quite a few extraordinary colleagues that I never would have expected, because the opposite is also true. Paragon Culinary School & Black Bear Distillery are striving for the next generation of chefs & distillers, carrying on traditions and innovation. We want to share knowledge, food and fellowship.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
When it comes to restaurants, we would definitely visit Armadillo Ranch in Manitou Springs, Wobbly Olive, Chef Bob’s Lobstah Trap, Paravicini and Pizzeria Rustica. I would, of course, bring them for a tour of Black Bear Distillery and the Briarhurst Manor (where Paragon Culinary School is located). With Pikes Peak, Garden of the Gods, Cave of the Winds and the Air Force Academy, there are plenty of things to see. I would make a trip up to Fairplay, not only because the former town of South Park is there, but a visit to Snitching Lady Distillery would be a great treat. I’m pretty simple when it comes to my favorite activities, they usually involve distilleries. Whether it’s Meridiem, 300 Days Distilling, Lee Spirits, Axe & the Oak, Distillery 291, Cockpit Craft Distillery or one of the other amazing craft spirits producers in the Colorado Springs area, they always have things I love. Whatever they feel like doing, I have a place I can take them. Although, my best friend grew up around here, so he knows most of those places, too.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would not be where I am without God. I needed Jesus to get me through quite a few rough areas. As a person, my parents & grandparents provided an environment where I felt safe and I was able to grow my creativity & my love of history. As a culinarian, my major mentors were Joe Traficanti (my grandfather) and Victor Matthews. Both gave me the tools and knowledge to grow in my culinary journey, there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t draw on the things they taught me and put my own spin on those lessons. As a distiller, Victor taught me most of what I know, but he also gave me the opportunities to learn everything else about the subject that I want to learn. My wife, Shannon, is an incredible partner, giving me support when I need it, criticism when I deserve it, comfort when things go wrong and motivation constantly. My kids are my relief from everything. Without all of them, I would be lost and still trying to figure it all out.

Website: www.blackbeardistillery.com; www.paragonculinaryschool.com
Facebook: @BlackBearDistillery; @ParagonCulinarySchool