MEET YOUR
So, what makes our mensches so special? We’re all passionate about hosting, sharing our knowledge and meeting new people. We’re world travelers and we’re all around good people. After all, what’s a mega-metropolis without cool people to share it with?
AVIDAN
The O.G Taco Mensch, Avidan, was born in Mexico City and spent his childhood between Israel, Brazil, and Venezuela — a true culinary coming of age. Growing up with many different cultures helped Avidan develop his palette and passion for food and hospitality (a.k.a. “making sure everyone has an amazing time,” as he likes to say). After almost two decades in the restaurant industry (and working every position from dishwasher to bartender) and a B.A. in Hotel and Restaurant Management, he returned to Mexico City to rediscover his origins — and begin his entrepreneurial path in Mexico City.
Avidan founded Taco Mensch in 2019 and quickly became addicted to the joy of sharing the city’s exquisite, masterful, and humbling cuisine with curious travelers. In 2021, Avidan opened his first restaurant, Bar Pita, where serendipitously, he met his future wife and business partner, Angie.
Favorite dish: Wild boar tacos in Valle de Bravo
Favorite restaurant: Contramar
Favorite Taco Mensch tour: All of them
JIM
Jim was born in the United Kingdom, forged in the grit of the Middle East and now considers himself a local to Mexico City. He developed his passion for history and culture at the University of Cambridge, garnering a degree in Middle Eastern Studies. He learned the art of hospitality from the generous people of Cairo, where he taught English from 2013 to 2017.
Seeking a new adventure, Jim traveled to Mexico and spent his first several years exploring Mexico’s most off-the-beaten-path regions. He settled in Mexico City to become a certified tour guide at the Mexican School for Anthropology and History (ENAH) and then trained as a chef at the School of Mexican Gastronomy. When he’s not guiding guests through the maze of the capital’s rich culinary offerings, he is traveling to regions he’s never visited, seeking ever more unique foodscapes.
Favorite dish: Fonda Fina’s stuffed Chile Poblana in white mole.
Favorite local spot: Birriosa (dumplings stuffed with birria and other delicious fillings)
JORGE
Born in Tabasco, Jorge grew up in his family’s food business — the kind of kid who was rewarded with a good meal and put to work right after. He did it all: cashiering, serving tables, even prepping in the kitchen. Hospitality has been part of his DNA from the start.
Though he studied politics and public management, life pulled him back to service — first to Disney World, where he worked at a Mexican restaurant inside a themed park, and later to Brazil, where he pursued a master’s in Social Anthropology. It was in Rio de Janeiro that he began leading walking tours and discovered what truly lit him up: sharing culture through storytelling.
Back in Mexico, he trained formally at the National School of Anthropology and History and has spent the past five years guiding guests through the layered histories of his country. As a cultural advisor and certified tour guide, Jorge’s mission is simple: to get you excited about Mexican heritage — and maybe a little hungry along the way.
Favorite Dish: Pozole de Doña Angélica
Favorite Local Spot: Cantón Mexicali
JYOTI
Jyoti hails from deep-dish pizza-loving Chicago but grew up in the cheese-covered heartland of Wisconsin under the roof of her Punjabi-Indian immigrant parents. Her unique upbringing blended Midwest comfort and vibrant Indian traditions, sparking her love for diverse culinary experiences. This passion led her on a whirlwind journey through some of the world’s top kitchens (like Noma in Copenhagen and Le Bernardin in New York City) and fueled by an insatiable curiosity for new flavors. Plus, it led to a Level 2 certification from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET), further establishing her expertise in wine and cocktails.
Since landing in Mexico City, Jyoti has fully immersed herself in its bustling food scene, delving into its rich cultural tapestry and sharing her culinary adventures with fellow explorers.
Favorite dish: The Cochinita Pibil panucho from El Turix
Favorite local spot: Ruben’s Tacos
Favorite cocktail: Maracuyà Mezcalita
DAVID
David was born in Mexico City and spent his formative years immersed in the beautiful chaos of the Centro Histórico — a setting that ignited his passion for history. Growing up surrounded by the city's rich tapestry of cultures and stories, he developed a deep curiosity for the layers that make up Mexico City's past. His fascination with how diverse migrations have shaped Mexico City’s character — and his own — has turned his love for history into a lifelong adventure. David’s family originally came to Mexico City from Morocco, Turkey, Syria, and Egypt in the middle of the 20th century, and over the years, they’ve enriched the city with their unique flavors, traditions, and cultures.
When he's not sifting through archives or exploring the city's hidden historical gems (like Biblioteca Lerdo de Tejada), David shares his latest discoveries on his tours, blending enthusiasm and insight to bring the past to life.
Favorite dish: Quesadilla filled with Huitlacoche
Favorite local spot: David loves to walk his dog around Ciudad Universitaria, the Campus of the National University, which has to be one of the coolest places in the world. It’s a collection of Modernist architecture with murals ingrained into their walls.
Favorite historical fact: This is a city of migrants, and nowhere is that more evident than in the food we love. Have you ever wondered where tacos al pastor or chamoy come from? Ask me next time!
CARLOS
Carlos is a true Chilango, or Mexico City native. It’s in CDMX where his passion for history took root. From a young age, Carlos has been captivated by history, and his diverse experiences have allowed him to share his deep love for his country’s past with anyone lucky enough to join his Anthropology Museum tour. He offers a unique perspective beyond the usual historical walk-and-talk through a city. Whether searching for the gate to the Aztec Underworld or paying respects to Tlaloc, the ancient deity of rain and water, Carlos invites you to uncover the storied secrets and dusty artifacts of Mexico.
With a degree in Art History and a Master’s in Mexican History, Carlos has spent over three years sharing knowledge with people from over 30 countries at sites like Centro Historico, the National Museum of Anthropology, Frida Khalo House, and Chapultepec Castle. He brings laughter and camaraderie everywhere he goes, making everyone he meets feel like they are old friends.
Favorite dish: Enchiladas Suizas
Favorite local spot: Sanborn’s de los Azulejos in Centro Histórico
Favorite historical fact: In 1847, American soldiers camped in the Zocalo and used the Aztec Sun-Stone for target shooting.
SAMI
Born and raised in Monterrey — Mexico’s second-largest city — Sami grew up far from the capital, but Mexico City kept calling him back. For the past seven years, he’s lived here on and off, always pulled in by the city’s food, stories, and that electric cultural energy that makes every neighborhood feel alive.
Sami has worked in the food world since he was 15, starting as a dishwasher and working his way up. Today, he manages a beloved supper club in Roma Norte, where bringing people together around a table is both his job and his joy.
His path hasn’t been linear. He’s lived in a tiny village of 119 people in the Kootenay Mountains of Canada, worked on a local farm, and spent a year farming in Italy while learning the language. Somewhere along the way, he also became the forever Game Master of his friends’ Dungeons & Dragons campaigns — a natural role for someone who loves storytelling and making sure everyone feels included.
Though he holds a degree in Economics, Sami’s true specialty is much simpler: making people laugh and making sure everyone at the table is having a great time.
Favorite Dish: Sopa de fideo seco
Favorite Spot: Oveja Negra
DANIEL
Daniel (you can also call him Froid) is a seasoned chef passionate about nature, different cultures, and street food. Born in Uruguay into a Jewish catering family and raised in Mexico City, he grew up surrounded by vibrant, cross-cultural food experiences.
Daniel’s greatest joy is sharing his love for food, culture and conscious cooking. His travels have allowed him to try some of the world’s most remarkable dishes, while his recent focus on sustainability and permaculture has deepened his expertise. As one of our Mensches, he invites you to explore Mexico’s stunning food scene and its people through the eyes of a passionate local.
Daniel has over 30 years of experience in the hospitality business in Mexico, holds a B.A. in Hotel and Restaurant Management, and has trained at the Culinary Institute of America.
Favorite dish: Tacos al Pastor
Favorite local spot: El Hidalguense
“The best food tour I have done in my life.”
— Shivjit, who wishes he could eat Pastor tacos every day
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