Chef Naifa Mulla journeyed from Yarka in the Western Galilee to Tel Aviv, where she opened Naifa. She is the owner, investor, chef, and manager — a rare combination in a male-dominated industry. Deeply rooted in Druze food culture, Mulla brings the traditional, homestyle dishes she grew up with to the restaurant scene, infusing them with a modern twist. Her flagship dishes include bouillabaisse shish barak (dumplings typically filled with meat) and malfouf (stuffed cabbage rolls) in demi-glace. Naifa is more than a restaurant, it embodies the story of the woman behind it — part rural, part urban, part Middle Eastern, and part Mediterranean

“In my opinion, what Naifa Mulla is doing for Druze cuisine — and for her village of Yarka — is akin to what musician Yehuda Poliker once did for Greek music in Israel,” says food writer Rotem Maimon. “Naifa is a bold trailblazer, opening doors not just for Druze chefs and cooks from her community, but for anyone who has built themselves from the ground up, defying all odds and prejudices. You can taste Naifa’s courage in every bite, beginning with the Druze pita — the symbol of all Druze clichés — which seems to ask the diner to: ‘Let go of your assumptions and simply enjoy.’ Those who come with an open mind might feel they’re in an amusement park of flavors they’ve never experienced before. But those expecting a typical Arab restaurant with stuffed grape leaves and bulgur salad may leave disappointed. Just give her the Israel Prize already.”