author photograph and book illustration courtesy joy bateman
Joy Bateman with a colorful page from one of her books.
It’s not often a local author gets to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of a book concept. But then, Joy Bateman isn’t just any author. As the creator of The Art of Dining restaurant guides, she’s produced 10 books that feature tempting recipes of memorable dishes from fine dining restaurants in Memphis, Nashville, and beyond — all illustrated with her original artwork.
The staff at Novel bookstore saluted Bateman’s milestone anniversary last fall with an afternoon soiree that brought together fans, food lovers, and chefs who graciously whipped up tasty hors d’oeuvres and sweets as part of the gala celebration.
Bateman is no stranger to the publishing world, as she worked for several publishing groups over the course of her 42-year career. She began selling advertising at the Memphis Business Journal in 1983 and joined Contemporary Media, Inc. (CMI) during the mid-’90s, where she became a senior account executive for Memphis Magazine. Bateman then spent five years as an account executive for Delta Magazine in Cleveland, Mississippi, before retiring.
book covers courtesy of joy bateman
Art and Food
Her idea for the restaurant guide was inspired by a trip to Manhattan years ago where she saw a book that married recipes with original artwork. As a long-time artist (her mother, Joyce Gingold, taught art at St. George’s and St. Mary’s Episcopal School for many years), Bateman began considering how she might create paintings to accompany a collection of recipes.
“When I saw that book,” she says, “I thought, if they can do it, then so can I.”
Her first book, The Art of Dining in Memphis, was published in 2005 and quickly became a hit. Over the next 20 years, it would be followed by four more Memphis editions. As her franchise took root, Bateman began to venture further afield, producing books on the dining scenes of Nashville, Knoxville, Amelia Island (Florida), and her most popular destination, New Orleans.
In honor of her mother’s life, Bateman published a smaller book in 2022 titled, Voices From The Soul. It contains illustrated quotes she compiled, offering “wisdom for bad times and good.”
There are 39 restaurants represented in her fifth Memphis edition, ranging from Acre and Cafe 1912 to Char, Brother Juniper’s, and Erling Jensen, among others. Bateman’s playful artwork, which accompanies each restaurant entry, captures memorable vignettes — a cozy corner, a recognizable painting, a noteworthy entrance — all of which may remind readers of their own festive occasions, gatherings that are heightened when sharing a meal with those we love.
Bateman also offers notes with each recipe, as well as an occasional shout-out for some of her personal favorites. Paulette’s is one entry you’ll find here. Alas, the recipes shared don’t include their memorable popovers (one can’t give away the store, after all). But we think you’ll find the Lobster Bisque and Chocolate Decadence worth recreating. Just don’t faint at the ingredients, as this chocolate cake calls for 32 eggs. Decadence indeed!
illustration by joy bateman
Dining out as a child
The story behind Bateman’s introduction to the food scene might surprise you. Her parents, Lester and Joyce Gingold, seldom cooked at home. “Unless they were taking a dish to an ailing friend,” she remembers. “Mother could make chocolate soufflé for friends or a loaf of bread, but not for us — my brothers and me.”
Instead, her childhood was spent eating dinner out almost every night at the Knickerbocker restaurant at Poplar and Perkins, where she’d have a cup of bean soup or a child’s plate of roast beef. Sometimes she’d ask for a cookie, “because we didn’t have cookies at my house.”
There were also family meals at the Luau, a popular Polynesian-themed eatery in the 1960s across from East High School on Poplar. Later in life, Paulette’s would become their home away from home. The meals were often nothing lavish, but they helped Bateman develop an appreciation for food that’s served her well.
Visit her art-filled home today and you’ll find other reminders of restaurants from bygone days: An original menu from Justine’s, a drawing from Marena’s, even an advertisement that ran in The Commercial Appeal for the Embers. Bateman’s collection reflects her long appreciation of the local dining scene. It’s worth noting, too, that her son, Brown, became equally enamored with food, and now works as a personal chef for Pitt and Barbara Hyde.
illustration by joy bateman
New markets
When not spending time with her husband, Bill, three children, and four grandchildren, Bateman enjoys scouting new markets. She recently returned from a trip to Savannah and Hilton Head, places she hopes to include in her upcoming books. In the meantime, the fifth edition of The Art of Dining in Memphis has many tempting recipes worth trying.
