March 14, 2017

Meet Tal Baum of Bellina Alimentari in Midtown

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tal Baum.

As the owner of Bellina Alimentari, Tal Postelnik Baum has built her vision for the restaurant upon the philosophy that the hectic nature of modern life should not compromise the quality of the food we eat. Her goal is to create an environment where genuine, high quality food, made from scratch is a way of life. As an architect and designer, she has developed a truly eclectic taste from traveling the globe and experiencing firsthand some of the best the hospitality industry has to offer. Baum moved to Florence, Italy, at the age of 21 to study architecture at Florence University. After graduating cum laude, she managed the production and design process for a boutique Italian eyewear brand and continued to prove her management and leadership skills as an architect in both Italy and the United States. During her seven years in Italy, Baum mastered the language and developed an intimate knowledge of Italian cuisine. After learning the secrets of traditional Italian cooking, she produced and published a cookbook entitled “Zeb.” It was this culinary journey, coupled with her architecture background, that inspired Baum to develop Bellina Alimentari, an authentic representation of an Italian gastronomic experience composed of four main elements – The Wine Bar, the Kitchen, the Market and a the Culinary Club.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Anyone you talk to in the hospitality industry will tell you it is never a smooth road. It’s an ever-evolving industry to work in, and surprises are common. But it is fun, inspiring and challenging all at the same time. We strive to give our customers a glance to what we love the most, and every time I see a pleasurable guest’s expression whilst biting into a steaming dish of handmade pappardelle al ragù, it reminds me that it’s all worth it.
Finding the right team, that shares our values and philosophy has definitely been a challenge along the way. We don’t only serve meals, we do all the behind the scenes job of sourcing the right ingredients, building relationships with farmers, making everything in-house and trying to respect the planet we all share. You can only do this if you really believe in the bigger picture and appreciate the extra effort. It’s our way of life.

Bellina Alimentari – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
After living for some time in Tuscany – walking through the markets in Florence appreciating the best the season has to offer, stopping for a quick espresso in a charming bar and cooking for friends and family endless delicious meals – I really wanted to bring back to Atlanta a piece of Italy’s wonderful food culture. This is where it all began.
“Bellina” means cute, lovely and pretty, “Alimentari” in Italy is a specialty food store.

The passionate and forward-thinking team behind Bellina Alimentari believes in making a difference in everyday life through food. Celebrating the Italian style of cooking, which is characterized by the use of fresh, seasonal, high-quality ingredients. Everything is cooked daily from scratch and the menu changes seasonally to reflect the availability of produce from local farmers. Our bar offers an exciting natural wine list, seasonal craft cocktails and an extensive list of amaros and grappas. The Market is a gourmet destination with a unique assortment of fine Italian imported goods and a variety of fresh pastas, meats, cheeses and to go dishes for guests to take home and share with family and friends. And our Culinary Club is a versatile space that features a variety of exciting activities from cooking classes and workshops to tastings, events and private parties. The goal is to create a community of customers who share a common passion and to bring back to the table the conversation of good food.

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