Neal Bodenheimer is the Managing Partner of CureCo, the acclaimed group behind Cure, Cane & Table, and VALS in New Orleans; Partner of Dauphine’s in Washington, DC; and Operator of newly opened Peychaud’s at the hotel Maison de Ville.
A New Orleans native, Bodenheimer discovered his passion for the beverage industry during his very first bar job at just 18 years of age. After graduating from the University of Texas at Austin, he embarked on a year-long trip around the world to explore global food and beverage traditions. Eager to put his experience to work, Bodenheimer then moved to New York City, where he worked for six years at respected restaurant groups including Steve Hanson’s B.R. Guest Corporation and Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group.
When Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, Bodenheimer felt called back home to New Orleans. In 2009, he opened Cure, which quickly gained national recognition as a pioneer of the New Orleans craft cocktail movement. Cure was named one of “America’s Best Bars” by Esquire in 2011 and received the award for “Outstanding Bar Program” from the James Beard Foundation in 2018.
In 2012, Bodenheimer and his partners opened Cane & Table in the historic French Quarter. The concept garnered significant critical acclaim, including being named one of the “Five Best New Cocktail Bars in America” by Bon Appétit, cited as one of the Best Bars in America by Food & Wine, and described as one of the best new bars in the South by Garden & Gun and Southern Living.
In 2018, Bodenheimer took the helm of the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation, the non-profit which hosts the premier, global Tales of the Cocktail conference. He continues to serve as Co- Chair of the Board of Directors for the organization, working to further the foundation’s efforts to educate, support and advance the global hospitality industry.
In 2020, Bodenheimer joined partners Matthew Kohnke, Turk Dietrick, and Fredo Nogueria for CureCo.’s newest concept, VALS. A true neighborhood spot located just up the road from Cure, VALS features traditional and regional Mexican-inspired cuisine with an emphasis on agave spirits.
In 2021, Bodenheimer joined the team behind Long Shot Hospitality to open Dauphine’s in Washington, D.C. For Dauphine’s, Bodenheimer developed an inspired menu built around the playful spirits and iconic cuisine of New Orleans, fulfilling his dream of opening an establishment that pays homage to his hometown. Later the same year, Bodenheimer introduced Peychaud’s to the French Quarter with a focus on perfecting classic drinks such as the Sazerac, French 75, and Vieux Carre, treating guests to a true New Orleans experience in the heart of the French Quarter.
In October 2022, Bodenheimer will debut his first cocktail book, Cure: New Orleans Drinksand How to Mix 'Em, co-authored by Emily Timberlake and published by Abrams Books.
