Born in Guadalajara, Jalisco Mexico in 1991, Mizrahi opened her first restaurant, Monte’s Local Kitchen & Tap Room located in Armenia, NY, in 2014. She soon became a televised feature chef when she won the Weber-Harley Davidson National Burger Championship in South Dakota that same year. Shorty after, she made her first appearance with the Food Network as a Chopped competitor in April 2015 and became one of the youngest competitors to continue on to the Chopped Champions round.From a young age, Mizrahi showed a talent for cooking and hospitality. She cooked with her grandmother for every Jewish holiday and never missed a detail. Unlike most children, Mizrahi choose to spend her summers in New York City learning from her biggest mentors, Philip and Thea Scotti owners of PJ. Clarke’s. Mizrahi was tutored in the restaurant business from coach check to taking reservations and management. After high school it was apparent that Mizrahi’s biggest passion was the hospitality industry, which led her to attend the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY where she received her degree.From a young age, Mizrahi showed a talent for cooking and hospitality. She cooked with her grandmother for every Jewish holiday and never missed a detail. Unlike most children, Mizrahi choose to spend her summers in New York City learning from her biggest mentors, Philip and Thea Scotti owners of PJ. Clarke’s. Mizrahi was tutored in the restaurant business from coach check to taking reservations and management. After high school it was apparent that Mizrahi’s biggest passion was the hospitality industry, which led her to attend the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY where she received her degree.Dafna Mizrahi opened her first restaurant, Monte’s Local Kitchen & Tap Room in 2014 in Amenia, New York. She partnered up with the Monte brothers and sisters who have long history in the hospitality industry. The original Monte’s opened in 1906 on Carol Street in Brooklyn. The family also owned the famous Gurney Inn in Montauk. Dafna, along with the Monte family, have established a farm to table restaurant featuring local agricultural products, highlighting their ingredients in a unique and creative manner.