tsehay

Last Friday, 10 GUESties journeyed to Tsehay, a delicious, authentic, and Michelin Guide recognized Ethiopian restaurant. We talked to the co-owner, Ted, about how he and his wife Selam created Tsehay as a homage to her mother, who was a chef in Addis Ababa.

We were moved by Ted and Selam’s insistence on continuing to source the best ingredients and keep menu prices consistent despite the challenge of rising prices. Stressing the importance of doing Ethiopian food justice and ensuring that it continues to achieve recognition for its wonderful dishes (Ted’s favorite being shiro, a chickpea stew that takes days to come together), Tsehay prides itself on providing a taste of home for Ethiopians and newcomers alike.

Among our favorite takeaways were Ted’s pride in watching a father and son discover Ethiopian food for the first time, his prohibition of forks and knives to ensure people experience Ethiopian food in a culturally authentic way, and handing out free Doro wat (a dish traditionally served at Christmas in Ethiopia) to their customers each year because they believe that everyone should have an opportunity to share in the holiday spirit.

We were blown away by every dish we tried, and many of us shared Ted’s favoritism for the shiro! The injera was soft and delicious and we were impressed that they have their gluten-free injera shipped fresh from Ethiopia every day. The sampler plates allowed us to try a bit of everything, and we enjoyed eating family style shoulder to shoulder. Thank you Ted and Tsehay!