Tali Friedman
My love of food began as a child, growing up in the bustle of my grandparent’s guesthouse amid bubbling pots and pans and the heady scent of my grandmother’s cooking. It was here that I enjoyed fresh produce straight from the garden, lush with fig, pomegranate and lemon trees, and overflowing with beets, shatta peppers and tomatoes, chickpeas, vine leaves and peas, all lovingly grown and cared for by my grandmother. As a child, I remember the magic of my grandmother’s kitchen, and in particular the delicious school lunches she’d carefully pack for me; more often than not a succulent fish sandwich I’d quietly unpack and sheepishly devour in a quiet corner
At 19, I began my professional studies at “Hadassah” College in Jerusalem and continued my training at “Lenôtre” cheffing school in Paris. Upon my return, I worked with some of the best chefs in Israel, including Ezra Kedem at Restaurant “Arcadia”, Eyal Shani at “Okyanus” and Rafi Cohen at “La Regence” of “King David Hotel”, each time bringing the simplicity of my grandmother’s cooking into the kitchen. It was very important for me to make sure to maintain the humble, natural flavors of the land throughout my food, using intuition and skill to bring it to the table
During this time, I became very attracted to Jerusalem’s Mahane Yehuda Market. Besides my deep connection to the city and its history, it was its market; unpretentious and bustling with local trade offering abundant, fresh produce that did it. The market soon became my place of work and the main inspiration behind my cooking
Today, I’m a mother of four and owner of The Atelier in the Jerusalem Mahane Yehuda Market. The Atelier is heavily influenced by fresh and seasonal ingredients with a meticulous emphasis on simple Mediterranean
cuisine and the delicious flavors of my youth