Bala Baya’s Head Chef Eran Tibi epitomises modern Israeli cooking. Descended from a family of countless global origins and cuisines, every bite of Eran’s food reflects the ferocious energy and inventive spirit of his self-elected hometown, Tel Aviv.

Trained at Le Cordon Bleu, Eran began his career in the UK working for Ottolenghi under the tutelage of Sami Tamimi, enriching his knowledge of middle eastern cuisine. Rising quickly through the ranks, Eran departed to set up Made in Camden at the Roundhouse, named by AA Gill as one of his top restaurants in 2011. More recently, Eran worked as part of the founding team at the acclaimed ZEST@JW3, rapidly gaining a loyal following and crowned by Giles Coren in 2013 as the best restaurant to open in North West London for a decade.

Eran launched his first stand-alone restaurant, Bala Baya, in January 2017 in Old Union Yard Arches, Southwark. Inspired by the raw creativity and fast-paced atmosphere of Tel Aviv’s hip all-day eateries, Eran brought his family cuisine to London, sharing a culinary experience that had not yet been tasted in London. Eran's vibrantly progressive cuisine is routed in his mother's Middle Eastern home cooking and generations of baking expertise and offers a hands-on, hands-in approach to family-style dining that focuses on the enjoyment of fresh, sustainably sourced ingredients.

Eran and Bala Baya received glowing praise from the press and critics, including stand-alone reviews in The Financial Times Magazine, from Nicolas Lander, and The New York Times. In 2018, Eran also won the Rising Star award at Tatler’s annual Restaurant Awards, presented by Tatler.

He announced his new launch in Soho, London in autumn 2022.