Our Story
At 10 years old, Curtis Bell knew he wanted to be a chef. After working in kitchens around Denver as soon as he could get a work permit in high school, he moved out east to attend The Culinary Institute of America. He quickly rose in the ranks in kitchens out east and then back home in Denver. He pivoted, transitioning to working privately for a prominent Denver family. His private work continued to grow, adding on clients such as former Brocnos Von Miller and Avalanche players Gabriel Landeskog and Nathan MacKinnon, both of whom he currently cooks for today.
All the while, the entrepreneur in Curtis knew he had more to offer. Having started his first business at age 12, he's always been curious about how to make life easier and more interesting. From magazines, documentaries, farm to table dinner clubs, and more, he was always in search of the "what's next."
Curtis spent a month in Japan in 2018, eating his way from the south to the north of the country. A few months later, one of his clients asked him to cater a party inspired by his travels. He decided on an interactive ramen party with 20+ accoutrements, one of which was a spicy smear that he remembered having on a bowl of ramen in Sapporo. Using red miso and the hot peppers he had on hand, he created the exact recipe of what would later be named MisoHeat. The guests at the party went absolutely wild for it, putting it on their other appetizer bites, taking some for their eggs in the morning, and the host said he would buy it by the case if Curtis jarred it.
Fast forward 10 months and MisoHeat debuted at its first market at the end of 2019. But of course, not long after, the world shut down. Not the ideal way to launch a business. But masked outdoor markets made a comeback, and so did MisoHeat. Nearly 5 years later, MisoHeat can be found in stores around the country, has shipped to nearly every state, and has launched in the Rocky Mountain region of Whole Foods. As any business owner knows, the highs come with plenty of lows, but the team continues to grow, learn, and expand, and we're so thankful you're along for the ride with us.
The rest, as they say, is history - in the making!