Israeli chef Eran Tibi to appear on Great British Menu

Chef Eran Tibi, founder and executive chef of restaurants Balabaya and Kapara has been announced as one of the competitors on this week’s heats of BBC television’s Great British Menu.

Exuberant Israeli Tibi, who now lives in London, studied at London’s branch of French culinary school, Le Cordon Bleu after pivoting from his original career of marketing. After qualifying, he was employed by Yotam Ottolenghi at the latter’s Ottolenghi and Nopi restaurants, before leaving to team up with fellow Cordon Bleu alumna, chef Josh Katz.

The pair founded Made in Camden at London’s Roundhouse and also worked together on developing JW3’s critically acclaimed kosher restaurant Zest before leaving to launch their own independent projects.

Tibi’s first solo restaurant, (non kosher) Bala Baya opened in Southwark in 2017, with a menu which he says was inspired by his father’s bakeries and mother’s traditional cooking and passion for hosting. He says the dishes he will be creating for his television appearance are also inspired by them. His second restaurant — also non kosher — Kapara opened in Soho in 2023.