Bali has always looked dreamy for a lot of people, especially for those wanting to build an F&B business. But for owner Mithat Akardaş and his business partner Guy Hilkevich, creating Bella wasn’t just about chasing a dream. It was about taking risks. They left everything they had built in Europe and started over from zero in Bali. Not because it was easy. But because it felt like a calling they couldn’t ignore.

The pandemic became a major turning point. While venues in Europe had to shut down, they came to Bali at its quietest moment. The borders were closed, the streets were empty. Out of that silence, the vision for Bella was born: a restaurant that’s sophisticated yet soulful, with Canggu’s energy at its core.

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HB: What made you want to open a restaurant in Bali?

Mithat Akardaş: Opening a restaurant in Bali often sounds like a dream—and for many, that’s where it ends. Behind the palm trees and perfect Instagram reels lies a reality few talk about: building a hospitality business here is not for the faint of heart.

I first came to Bali before the pandemic, and that trip opened my eyes to the potential here. Then the pandemic hit, and strangely enough, it gave us the chance to come back and live here for a few months. That experience planted the seed—it showed us that this wasn’t just a beautiful destination, but a place where we could really build something.

So when we made the decision, it wasn’t about chasing a dream. It was about challenge, lifestyle, creativity, and growth. Moving here meant stepping away from everything familiar—our base, our roots, our team, our network—all of it in Europe, thousands of kilometers away. Yet we decided to commit fully. Not because it was easy, but because something here called to us—and we couldn’t ignore it.

HB: This isn’t your first time in the hospitality business. There have definitely been plenty of challenges along the way, for example the pandemic. How do you deal with that?

Mithat Akardaş: When COVID hit, our venues in Europe shut down. The lights turned off. The music stopped. Like so many in hospitality, we were forced into pause mode—uncertain, anxious, disconnected.

That’s when we made the decision to come to Bali. Not because it was part of the plan. But because the world was shifting, and we saw a chance to shift with it and we saw an opportunity.

When We came to Bali when everything was shut down—borders closed, streets empty. But the island still had this unshakable energy. It was quiet, yes—but it was alive. And in that silence, we saw the beginning of something new.

We believed that Asia, and especially Indonesia, was going to grow fast in the years ahead. The world was shifting, and we didn’t want
to just survive the changes—we wanted to lead something new. That’s how the vision for Bella Canggu started.

HB: Why did you choose Canggu?

Mithat Akardaş: We chose Canggu—specifically Berawa—because it felt like the true heart of modern Bali. A place full of creative energy, culture, movement. It had the pulse. But it was also evolving. We saw an opportunity to build something slightly more refined, elevated, while still being deeply connected to the island’s vibe.

Think: a little bit LA, but without losing its soul. Something sophisticated, but still barefoot. That’s what we wanted to bring to the table.

The concept and architectural design of Bella was developed by me  & Kinga Mostowik, our longtime architect from Poland. Having worked with us on many previous projects, she instinctively understood the kind of atmosphere we wanted to create—something elevated, warm, and full of character.

But designing in Bali was an entirely different challenge. Kinga had never worked on the island before, and many of the materials, construction styles, or techniques she envisioned simply didn’t exist here—or weren’t common practice.

Still, we pushed forward. Together, we shaped every detail of the space: the layout, flow, finishes, lighting. The goal wasn’t just to build a restaurant, but to create a space that felt like Bella—something timeless, expressive, and alive.

Managing that vision in Bali, with its very different infrastructure and pace, wasn’t easy. Many of the elements we designed had to be improvised, adapted, or custom-made through trial and error. There were moments it felt impossible. But staying hands-on throughout the process allowed us to keep everything aligned with the original vision—even when it got crazy hard.

HB: What’s the biggest difference between Europe and Bali?

Mithat Akardaş: We had 15 years of experience running restaurants and nightclubs in Europe. We knew how to create experiences.  But Bali was a completely different game.

Here, the entire economy is built mostly on tourism, which means everything runs in seasons. Things change fast—trends, traffic, even the flow of people—so to succeed you need patience, flexibility, and the ability to constantly adjust.

On top of that, the way of working here is very different from Europe. At first, that was a big challenge. But once you learn to respect the local culture and truly understand it, you realize you can build something amazing together. That respect becomes the foundation for managing, collaborating, and ultimately creating something special.

The construction process was still a nightmare—delays, miscommunications, problems at every turn. What we thought would take months took far longer, and it tested us on every level. But we kept going, because the idea of Bella was always bigger than the stress.

HB: How would you guys describe the menu at Bella?

Mithat Akardaş: Bella is rooted in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavors, but nothing here is traditional in a cliché way.

Every dish on the menu is personal. Our head chef, Oguz Karadoğan, comes from Turkey, and brings with him a lifetime of flavor
memory—from his childhood, from his training, from kitchens across the region. But we don’t just replicate those classics.

We reimagine them. Modern-authentic is what we call it. Every plate has a story—but it’s been twisted, elevated, made new. It’s Turkish food and Mediterranean food as you’ve never seen it—fresh, bold, and creative, but deeply respectful of its roots.

HB: How has your background in running nightclubs influenced the development of Bella?

Mithat Akardaş: We didn’t just open a restaurant – we turned Dinner into a show. 

Bella was never meant to be just a dinner spot. From the very beginning, our vision was to create something immersive—where food is only the first act. We had been carrying this idea as a concept for a long time, but we were waiting for the right time and the right place to bring it to life.

With our background in nightlife and hospitality in Europe, we understood how energy works in a space. How music, timing, lighting, and movement can turn a nice evening into something unforgettable.

At Bella, the vibe evolves through the night. It starts slow—elegant, intimate, full of flavor and warmth. But as the night moves on, so does the atmosphere. Music rises. People lean in. There’s rhythm in the room. It’s subtle at first—and then suddenly it’s not. The space shifts. The dinner becomes a celebration.

We didn’t just serve food. We created a feeling. A moment. A show.

That’s why people come—and why they stay long after dessert.

HB: Building Bella in Bali is definitely not easy. How have you been managing so far?

Mithat Akardaş: The power of the team—combined with discipline and focus—is what keeps us moving forward. Especially here in Bali, where the island has so much to offer, it’s easy to get distracted. Staying grounded and united as a team makes all the difference.

The Bella team was built with intention.

My business partner, Guy Hilkevich, has been beside me since the beginning—we’ve built together, failed together, and trusted each other through every shift. Every decision, every risk, has been taken side by side.

Visually, we partnered with Mario Stefanelli, who helped shape Bella’s aesthetic language—both online and offline—so the brand feels as cohesive as the experience itself.

In the kitchen, we brought in Head Chef Oguz Karadoğan from Turkey. His cooking is deeply personal—rooted in memory yet full of innovation—and it’s a key part of what makes Bella’s experience so distinctive.

On the floor, Marek Moczydłowski, our GM, came with us from one of our European venues. He knows how to manage high expectations with calm precision, bringing structure and stability to the chaos of hospitality.

HB: Considering most of your portfolio is in Europe, what does building a restaurant in Bali mean to you?

Mithat Akardaş: They call it the Island of Gods for a reason. Bali has a certain power—if you respect it. But it’s not for everyone. The island tests you. It won’t let you rush. It doesn’t always make sense. But if you let go and move with it, it gives back in ways that are hard to put into words.

We care deeply about this island, its community, and its direction. We’re not just here to operate a business—we’re here to be part of Bali’s growth, creatively and consciously. That’s something we take seriously.

It’s also important to us to become a benchmark, and to show that on this island you can find truly world-class concepts that attract people from all over. Bali already has some incredible venues raising the bar, and together they make the island even more visible and attractive on the global stage.

HB: What’s the biggest lesson you’ve taken from this journey so far?

Mithat Akardaş: If you’re thinking about opening a restaurant in Bali, know this: experience helps, but it won’t save you. You need vision, flexibility, respect for the culture, and a team you trust like family. You need to be ready to fall apart—and still show up the next day.

Bella is more than just a restaurant. It’s a reflection of who we are, what we’ve learned, and how we’ve grown. It’s food, yes. But it’s also feeling, energy, story, and space.

And for anyone who’s looking for more than just a meal—Bella is waiting.