Mulu Habtesilssie opened her restaurant Alem Ethiopian Village in downtown Milwaukee in 2008 and has served up authentic Ethiopian eats ever since. "We eat with our hands. We don’t use a fork or spoon. We use a flatbread," she explains.
This encourages an entirely authentic dining experience that honors the culture of where the food came from. The flatbread is called injera -- it is a traditional style of eating from Ethiopia as well. At the restaurant, everything is made from scratch from a rich blend using curated spices. Habtesilssie continues to explain that this is how she grew up eating with her family and that the food is an extension of herself.
Authentic Ethiopian Restaurants
Milwaukee is Home to the Alem Ethiopian Village Restaurant
Trend Themes
1. Authenticity-inspired Cuisine - There is an opportunity for more restaurants to provide an authentic dining experience like Alem Ethiopian Village by incorporating traditional elements of cuisine and dining into their establishment.
2. Cultural Foodie Tourism - Restaurants like Alem Ethiopian Village have the potential to attract tourists seeking an authentic cultural experience through cuisine.
3. Sustainability in Restaurants - Restaurants can look to Alem Ethiopian Village for inspiration in using curated spices and making everything from scratch to reduce food waste and ecological impact.
Industry Implications
1. Restaurant Industry - The restaurant industry has an opportunity to tap into demand for authentic cuisine and cultural dining experiences that honor the origins of food.
2. Tourism Industry - The tourism industry can market and promote restaurants like Alem Ethiopian Village as key destinations for those seeking authentic cultural experiences through food.
3. Food Industry - The food industry can take cues from Alem Ethiopian Village's use of curated spices and scratch-made dishes to create more sustainable and environmentally conscious products and ingredients.