Everyone said don't open on E. 7th Place
2012, a vacant warehouse, a dimly lit alleyway
In 2012, Chef Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis found themselves in a vacant warehouse, down a dimly lit alleyway at the edge of downtown Los Angeles. The exposed brick, steel beams, and well-worked concrete spoke to who they were as people and the food they wanted to cook. While most people thought they were out of their minds to open a restaurant on E. 7th Place, Chef Ori and Genevieve knew it was exactly where Bestia needed to be. The converted warehouse soon opened its garage door — and with it, a menu of Italian classics reinterpreted, powerful yet balanced, cooked over wood. Over a decade later, the dining room feels as charged as ever.
The founders
Ori grew up traveling with his family and was exposed to fine dining across the globe, but it wasn't until his year-long stay in South America that he realized his passion for cooking. He returned to Los Angeles in 2001, took his first kitchen job at an Israeli cafe, then cooked at La Terza — where he and Genevieve, then a hostess, met for the first time — followed by Pizzeria Mozza, All' Angelo, and four years as chef de cuisine under chef Gino Angelini at Angelini Osteria. Bestia opened in 2012; Bavel followed in 2018 with business partner and Director of Operations Leah Bunch, and Saffy's in June 2022.