Joseph Bekele is bringing a taste of Africa to Sydney at his Jambo Jambo African Restaurant.
The refugee from Ethiopia is sharing his cultural heritage with customers through his food.
And Joe is using his business to raise money to help women suffering a common childbirth injury.
Joe says his restaurant is his way to stay connected to his cultural roots.
“In Ethiopia, we have a great culture. I was always dreaming to have my own Ethiopian restaurant and bringing my culture to the community,” Joe said.
Joe recently dedicated the takings from his opening night to a charity close to his heart, which he continues to support. The Catherine Hamlin Fistula Foundation helps women suffering a condition known as obstetric fistula, which is prominent in Ethiopia and has affected Joe’s own family.
Joe is famous for his warm and friendly relationship with customers. Source: SBS
Joe says he lost his niece to the condition two years ago.
"She’s already gone but there are many in need we can help. If I save one person’s life, I just want to do more.
"If I have the power to do that as an owner here, as a restaurant owner. I just want to do more."
Joe fled Ethiopia’s Civil War as a teenager leaving behind his parents and siblings to arrive in Melbourne in 1987 under the refugee program.
“At that time everyone was killed for no reason, everyone was just fleeing the country. But I just want people to understand what kind of culture we have.”
Many families were torn apart by war and famine over a decade during the civil war, as millions died in the humanitarian disaster.
The first night at his Glebe location was actually a reopening after closing down his former restaurant across Sydney's harbour a year ago for health reasons.
Joe says the carpal tunnel syndrome in his hands, and his shoulder injuries forced him to take a break from his business.
“I started developing almost like a depression. I struggle mentally, physically and emotionally because the food is my hobby, I loved coming into the kitchen every day.”
Joe started his first restaurant in Crow’s Nest in 2012 becoming famous for his friendly relationship with customers.
Its tradition for these Ethiopian platters to be eaten by hand using bread called injera. Source: SBS
“We have meat dishes, we have goat meat, we have a lot of vegetarian, and fish. So whatever we have in Australia, we have the same but use different kinds of spices,” Joe says.
He wants his food to be authentic to its origins – so he recreates these tastes using spices from his homeland.
“We import from Ethiopia, we have like berbere spice, mince chickpea, like 'old spicy meat' we call it. Most ingredients we get from Ethiopia because we cannot find them here.”
Ethiopian food is cooked in a melting pot of spices, flavours, and ingredients. It's tradition for Ethiopian platters to be eaten by hand using bread called injera.
Joe roasts his own Ethiopian coffee to share with his customers. Source: SBS
Joe says his Ethiopian culture celebrates sharing their food.
“We don’t use knife and fork. So you just wash your hands and put your hand on the food. When you share food, it makes you happy.”
