After two decades in Israel and seven years in Italy, Tal Baum landed in Atlanta, GA — young, wide-eyed, and ready to shake up the local food scene. Armed with an architecture degree and a devotion to Italian cuisine, she opened her first restaurant, Bellina Alimentari, at Ponce City Market in 2015. This launched Oliva Restaurant Group, a collection which now houses five beloved Atlanta restaurants.
We caught up with Tal to hear about her culinary journey AND her newest venture, Mercato di Bellina, an online market offering high-quality Italian ingredients. Get to know this multi-talented FACE of the South!
Tell us about growing up in Israel and attending university in Italy. How did those places influence you professionally?
I left Israel at 20 after completing mandatory military service, eager to expand my horizons. I studied Italian for a year, then enrolled in a university in Florence, Italy, where I spent nearly seven years. While studying architecture there, I worked as a server in restaurants, occasionally helping in the kitchen, which sparked an intense love for Italian cooking and its deep cultural significance.
How did you end up in Atlanta, and how has the food scene evolved since 2015?
It’s not as glamorous as the Italy story! About 20 years ago, my parents moved here, and after graduating from architecture school in Italy, getting married, and having my first son, I wanted to be closer to my mom. At the time, Atlanta’s culinary scene was evolving, with Ponce City Market emerging as a major project.
Coming from Europe’s rich cultural backdrop, I knew making an impact here meant joining something transformative. I worked hard to open my first restaurant at Ponce, and it was one of the best decisions of my career.
Each of your restaurants has a distinct identity. How do you combine your backgrounds in architecture and cuisine to achieve this?
An architect takes a void and gives it life. That’s how I see myself as a restaurateur with each new project I dream up. I adapt the concept to the location, not vice versa. I go into the space, close my eyes, and envision the void we can fill throughout the space. How can we do something that currently doesn’t exist in the community?
Tell us about the new Mercato di Bellina.
Mercato di Bellina is our e-commerce side of things. When I first opened Bellina Alimentari in Ponce City Market, it was important for me not just to open a restaurant but to create an immersive experience centered around Italian cuisine. So, along with the fantastic food and the wine bar, we also teach cooking classes and import products from Italy from fantastic producers I met while living there.
Is there a food or dining “trend” you’re loving these days?
People want to go back to the basics, and we’re implementing that throughout our menus. Comfort food prioritizes ingredients and really lets those ingredients shine. Since Covid and all the changes happening in the world, people want to indulge in something familiar, like classic dishes they remember from childhood. We are thinking about reinventing these dishes and cocktails and giving them a modern twist.
What’s a common misconception people have about being a restaurateur?
People assume I wake up every day, put on designer clothes, and eat and drink wine at my restaurants all day. That could not be further from the truth. Some days I wear my nice clothes. Some days, I wear sneakers and jeans and roll my sleeves up because something needs to get done.
That’s what I love most about being a restaurateur. It’s so dynamic, and I never know what tomorrow will look like. I get to meet so many people and wear so many hats. Some parts are sexier than others. Being able to handle the good and the bad, the fun parts and the necessary parts that are not as fun — that’s what I enjoy most about this industry.
What’s something that people are surprised to learn about you?
Well, everybody knows I’m a mom. I talk about it all day long, and it defines me. I’m very maternal in my management style and the way I run the company. But in the early stages of my career, people were surprised by how much I could take on and what an overall badass I was. I was very young and had just immigrated to the States when I started out. Many people underestimated me.
Where can we find you on your days off?
Huddling with my kids, cooking, or making pizza in our backyard. We love hiking, having friends over, and entertaining. I usually cook on my days off, but for the family, which gives me so much joy, and you know I love it. I love making them part of my journey, and they are very passionate about spending time in the kitchen with me.
What’s the best advice you’ve received, and from whom?
This is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s a long journey with many ups and downs, and you must learn to enjoy the process. There will be some dark days, and there will be some very happy ones. You have to put everything in perspective and, even during the tough times, return to your “why.” I got that from my father, who was also a businessman.
Besides faith, family, and friends, what can’t you live without?
First, travel. Second, creativity. Whether it’s painting ceramics, playing with my daughter, or cooking with my kids, I need to be creative to be productive. I know you said other than family, but I have to say my family. They’re my rock, my source of inspiration, and my power.
What kitchen tool can you not live without?
My Japanese-made chef’s knife. My style of cooking is very simple. I don’t have the patience to follow an elaborate recipe with lots of ingredients and tools. I just need a good chopping board and my knife.
LIGHTNING ROUND
Favorite recent book or podcast? The book How to Lead. I’m listening to the Audiobook. It’s interviews with great CEOs, founders, and game-changers.
Bucket list vacation destination? Japan
Favorite “hidden gem” in Atlanta? The Beltline isn’t really hidden, but I love roaming it and discovering new pockets of the city.
Go-to birthday present to give? A Mercato gift box. I genuinely believe every product in them is divine, and every time I bring a box to someone, the balsamic or pasta brand becomes a staple in their kitchen. Once you taste them, you cannot go back. (We featured a box in our 50 gifts under $50 guide!)
Thanks for the nourishing chat, Tal!
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