For Atkilt Asefa, owner of Gojo Cafe Ethiopia on Commercial Drive, the saying “Eat Together, Share with Each Other,” captures the uniqueness, warmth and diversity of Ethiopian cuisine. Gojo Cafe will celebrate its 12th anniversary this summer with a special event honouring what Asefa holds as the core of his work, his valued customers.

“I always engage my customers…how they come here, and how they feel,” says Asefa, noting that his restaurant’s clientele of regular customers, some of whom have been dining at Gojo Cafe for the past 12 years, feels like family.

From journalist to restauranteur

With a name referring to “cottage,” the most popular type of residence in Ethiopia, Gojo Cafe was originally started by Asefa’s friend in 2006. A former full-time journalist in Ethiopia who moved to Vancouver after being imprisoned by the country’s dictatorship, Asefa became involved in community work for Vancouver’s Ethiopian community. Desiring a space of his own, he leveraged his community building skills and took over the restaurant’s ownership in 2012.

“One of the singers was advising me, ‘Atkilt, you have this kind of quality, you have this kind of ability, so why don’t you have your own spot,’” he says, referring to his former work of bringing musicians from abroad, including Ethiopia, to Vancouver.

The switch from journalism to restaurateur was a surprise to Asefa himself, who notes that he did not take cooking seriously prior to becoming involved with Gojo Cafe. He also recalls how his mother was surprised at his career transition when visiting Vancouver for his wedding because she only knew him as a lover of reading. Asefa attributes his inspiration for running Gojo Cafe to his grandmother, W/ro Zewde Nigusse, who ran a restaurant in Dessie, Ethiopia.

“When my grandmother [was] cooking, I was beside her all the time,” he says. “I wanted to listen to stories from her, and when she cooked, she told me some stories back in the day in her time, what she was doing, what was happening.”

Asefa also notes how his grandmother’s talent and skill for cooking was well recognized by their community, as she was always invited to cook for special gatherings, including holidays and weddings. During Gojo Cafe’s opening ceremony in May 2012 under Asefa’s ownership, he recreated this togetherness by inviting people to a welcoming and warm space anchored by delicious food, creating the feelings of community and joy that he will cherish forever.

“The restaurant was filled with music, dancing, and the aroma of traditional dishes,” he recalls. “It was heartwarming to see both Ethiopians and non-Ethiopians come together to celebrate and enjoy the rich culture and cuisine of Ethiopia.”

The togetherness of eating

According to Asefa, the communal aspect of food is also reflected in the Ethiopian ways of eating. Traditionally, families would sit around a woven round basket that holds the food while acting as a table and feed themselves as well as each other with their hands. In addition to participating in this sharing of food at Gojo Cafe, diners can also experience communal eating through a coffee ceremony – a hallmark of Ethiopia’s culture as coffee’s birthplace.

“Coffee is really common in Ethiopia, every neighbour gets together, and it is a social network,” explains Asefa, noting that all his neighbours would socialize at his mother’s house during a coffee ceremony. “If they do it in the morning at my house, they’ll do it in the afternoon at their house.”

According to Asefa, an Ethiopian legend recounts how a shepherd was puzzled by seeing his goats behave strangely. After he observed the goats ingesting coffee bean leaves, people started harvesting these plants for medicinal and other purposes, eventually creating what is now enjoyed as coffee. He says that Gojo Cafe does a coffee table service ceremony, allowing people to sample the coffee served with incense as a group.

“We roast it manually,” says Asefa of their manual coffee-making process. “We wash everything, then we put it on the pad, and then we burn it underneath, then the smell is coming.”

He also notes that their coffee is from Yirgacheffe, the main farm for coffee worldwide, and it is organic. As for the food, Asefa shares that their vegetarian combination platter, served with injera sourdough flatbread, is their bestseller. He notes how most Ethiopians, especially those following Christianity, will refrain from eating meat for two months during Easter, turning to a variety of vegetarian dishes. He has also observed the popularity of vegetarianism in North America, leading him to create a vegetarian special on Mondays and Tuesdays.

“My favourite part of being in the restaurant business is serving my customers with full energy,” says Asefa. “I am always happy to see our regular and new customers.”

One of his favourite dishes is the Doro Wat, which he refers to as the “queen of Ethiopian food” for its strong role in family cooking. Starting with cooking onions and berbere, otherwise known as Ethiopian paprika, the dish features chicken marinated in a variety of spices, including ginger, garlic, and cardamon powder. Committed to providing the best experience for his customers, Asefa does not shy away from doing whatever needs to be done during a regular shift at Gojo Cafe, despite now holding a managerial role.

“My principal in the food business is if I do not eat it or taste it myself, I will never serve it to my customers – that is guaranteed,” says Asefa.

He also hosts CFRO 100.5FM’s Meleket Radio Show on Saturday afternoons, remaining committed to helping newcomers from Ethiopia, who may struggle with the practicalities of resettlement including language and employment. In addition to reporting on Ethiopia’s current affairs, his show shares information to alleviate these challenges and establish community – a goal that is shared by Gojo Cafe.

“Gojo Cafe is more than just a restaurant; it’s a place where we celebrate Ethiopian culture and bring people together,” says Asefa.

For more information, see: www.gojocafe.com.