OUR STORY
Banker to Baker
Seth Raphaeli has always had a passion for desserts. While working on Wall Street as a banker for 15 years, Seth sought opportunities to invest in a food business or restaurant. His extensive due diligence and research revealed an unmet need in the market and Seth decided to launch Studmuffin Desserts to provide dessert lovers everywhere with all natural, low-calorie sweets that don’t compromise on big flavor.
And it all started with cookies…
Seth picked up his first spatula in high school. Cookies were his go-to snack after football practice but sometimes the Raphaeli pantry was out of stock. Seth decided to bake his own treats. Mom, who owned a gourmet catering company, and Dad, a chemical engineer, encouraged Seth’s new hobby and before long he graduated from simple cookies to elaborate cakes featured on the covers of Bon Appétit, Saveur, andGourmet magazines. Little sister Shana grew spoiled on mousses and meringues!
In first developing Studmuffin Desserts, Seth used his grandmother’s family recipes as foundations for his conceptions, tweaking flavors to enhance overall taste. He gave samples of his early creations to 30 of his closest NYC foodie friends and finance colleagues, a tough crowd and demographic for sure! When the majority response was, “More, please! Now!” Seth knew his products were ready for the world. All natural, always handmade, and low in calories, Studmuffin Desserts Signature Cookies and Bleecker Street Brittle are prepared with only the best locally sourced ingredients from Manhattan’s West Village.