Kiki Louya

Kiki comes to DFA with a wealth of knowledge and over 20 years of experience as a food business leader and non profit executive. Kiki is the former Chef/Owner of Folk & the Farmer’s Hand, two award winning food concepts, where she gained notoriety for her fight for fair wage. She was recognized as one of “16 Black Chefs Changing Food in America” by the New York Times for her pursuit of social justice in the kitchen. In addition to her work in food, Kiki has raised over $200 million for non‐profit organizations across the country. Prior to joining DFA, she served as the inaugural Executive Director of Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of restaurant workers nationwide with a focus on fair wage, racial justice, gender equity, and wellness. An avid public speaker (and former Top Chef Season 18 contestant!), Kiki has given lectures on food, farming, and entrepreneurship for students at Yale, Georgetown, Harvard, the University of Michigan, and more. In her spare time, she can be found tending to her wild vegetable garden or walking around the city with her husband and three rescue dogs.