Dafna Mizrahi is the CEO and Co-founder of Curamia Tequila. Born in Guadalajara, Jalisco Mexico in 1991, Dafna is an established chef and restaurateur who pays homage to her Mexican roots, upbringing, and love for her home country with the launch of Curamia. Mizrahi opened her first restaurant, Monte’s Local Kitchen & Tap Room, in 2014 located in Amenia, New York and soon became a food contest fixture when she won the Weber Harley Davidson National Burger Championship in South Dakota that same year. Shortly after Mizrahi made her first of many television appearance on the Food Network as a Chopped competitor in April 2015.
From a young age, Mizrahi showed a talent for cooking and hospitality. She cooked for every Jewish holiday with her grandmother and never missed a detail making sure everything was perfect from taste to the minimal garnish. Unlike most children who spend summers at home, Mizrahi chose to spend her summers in New York City to learn about a career in hospitality, one of her biggest passions. During those summers she immersed herself in all restaurant details from coat check to reservations and management. This helped her understand every aspect of running a successful restaurant group. After finishing high school, it was evident that Mizrahi’s biggest passion was the hospitality industry, which led her to attend the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY at age 18.
Mizrahi’s first professional job as a chef came in 2011, shortly after beginning her education at the CIA. Dafna worked for the renowned Buckhead Life Group in Atlanta, GA where she learned about authentic Greek cuisine. She then continued her studies at the CIA, obtaining multiple scholarships and sponsorships due to her strong drive and dedication to her craft. Mizrahi also worked full time with her chef mentor Gianni Scappin at his newest restaurant, Market Street, located in Rhinebeck, NY. Post-graduation from the CIA Dafna went to work for Clarke’s Group in New York City and assisted with the launched their newest concept Clarke’s Standard, where she operated and managed multiple locations. Dafna knew that the only way to be a successful restaurateur she needed to master both the front and back of the house as well as fine dining and quick service.
Branching off on her own, Dafna opened her first restaurant, Monte’s Local Kitchen & Tap Room in 2014 located in Amenia, New York. Dafna followed her dream to establish a farm to table restaurant featuring local farms and highlighting their fresh ingredients in a unique and creative manner.
Today, Dafna is the proud founder of Curamia Tequila in her quest to bring American consumers the highest quality, smoothest tasting tequila at an affordable price. She is doing so in a unique way, creating a company that is female founded, with an investment group comprised of only women and employing over 95% women in the distillery back in Mexico. She wants to disrupt a category long-known for being male dominated and empower women in the spirits business with the introduction of Curamia. While doing so, Dafna also manages other hospitality ventures including running events and catering operations at Silo Ridge, a private community in Amenia, New York.
