About Me

Before I ever touched a game engine, I was a chef. In fact, I spent nearly a decade in the UK working my way up to head chef in an Italian restaurant and sous-chef in a Japanese one. Cooking taught me how to lead under pressure, organize chaos, and stay focused on delivering quality - so valuable lessons, I carry with me. I still enjoy preparing tasty meals, although I have to admit that only for friends and family. After all those years, I really think those two industries has a lot in common.

During busy restaurant days, I began learning IT and game dev in my free time. I studied Microsoft tech courses, practiced 3D modeling and texturing with 3DSMax, trying to understand C# with the XNA framework over a simple 2D shooter game, or building levels location in UDK and learning through playtesting tons of games. It lasted good few years as I slowly built the foundation for a career I hadn’t even dared to imagine at start when it was just a dream. Idea. I guess My pragmatism won. 

That passion, love for video games and My "never give up" life principle - eventually led me to make the leap into the game industry. Shortly after returning to Poland with my family, I got a chance to join professional team. I’ve now been in game development for nearly 11 years, and through that time I’ve worked on a wide range of projects across genres, scales, and platforms. From mobile to console, indie passion projects and commercial releases - I’ve contributed as a designer, team lead, and co-founded a studio which develops awesome game concept. Leadership has always been one of my strongest traits. I naturally take ownership of the big picture and ensure that nothing gets lost or overlooked. With my background in managing kitchens and now development teams, I’ve mature a sharp sense for prioritization, task planning, and resource management. I value transparency, clarity, and follow-through - and I thrive in collaborative environments where momentum and vision matter. 

It was time of failures too, although the best way to learn. Embracing the fact that "something is not working" is the most valuable lesson I have learned and I love "fail fast, follow the fun" statement. Quickly and painfully understood what it means to build a whole level and how much technically oriented I had to become - Level design, with its blend of logic and creativity, deeply satisfies my practical mindset and continues to challenge me in the best ways. 

Beyond systems and pipelines, I’ve always been fascinated by psychology and sociology - and both have strongly influenced the way I think about games, player experience, level design and how I approach team management. I believe the best games don’t just entertain - they speak to something deeper. They’re shaped by how people think, act, and relate. I believe that "game dev is the people" - whose create everything, from amazing ideas to executing them into fantastic games. 

I’m always open to new opportunities - whether part-time or full scope. I’m eager to learn, connect with new people, and see how others approach the craft of game development. Every project is a unique journey, and with each one comes the chance to grow, adapt, and exchange knowledge. After all, no two games - or their processes - are ever the same. I am even more excited to share my experience with You. Whoever you might be.

If you would like to contact me - for an advise, know-how share or anything, please do not hesitate to drop an email at jakubkowalski@hotmail.co.uk