The clock is moments away from a wintry 8 a.m. as day breaks and the sun begins to rise, making 
shadows disappear and letting light flood into the windows of the Abyssinian Restaurant.
It’s a quaint little space, the walls adorned with exotic pictures from a faraway land that catch the eye of all who make an entrance here.
While nothing seems to stir at this hour, somewhere in this unique landscape Aberra Jote is preparing to open the doors to another world, and your eyes, to Ethiopian culture and cuisine.
Jote opened the The Abyssinian, located at 313 Fifth St. S. In Lethbridge, in 2007 and, with wife Mary, has made it a success.
“A pleasant surprise,” says Jote, born and raised in Ethiopia. “The exposure to the restaurant has been powerful from such a small community, and when you see that coming out in this city, that’s something I look forward to.”
The couple met during travels to West Berlin in the early 1980s; Mary was originally from Red Deer, and the two eventually decided to move back to Canada due to the size of the country and the opportunities available. Married for nearly 24 years, they have two sons, Solomon and Nathaniel.
Jote enrolled in Lethbridge College’s Business Administration program in 1987 to foster his interest in marketing, graduating with a two-year diploma.
“Part of [my reason for attending the college] was my background,” says Jote, who used to be a bookkeeper in Ethiopia. “I found taking the program reinforced a lot of what I had already learned. All I had to do was determine what area of focus I was going to enjoy.”
Jote worked many jobs after graduation, attempting to determine what was right for him. After honing his bookkeeping at a building supply chain, he concluded his marketing skills would be perfect for opening a restaurant.
“The idea of having my own business was reinforced when I went to the college and got my business diploma,” he says. “[The restaurant] was an idea that hadn’t been fermented yet. When this place became open for rent, the puzzle started to fit together. It was also a way to provide some culture to the local community.
“At the beginning, I had a little bit of convincing to do because I knew what it would take to run this business; it takes a lot of time and dedication,” says Jote.
Getting started wasn’t easy, but Jote had overwhelming support, including from Mary who was a substitute teacher in Coaldale.
“The time came when I needed her, and she simply said ‘this is your dream’ and agreed to give me a hand.”
The two handle all facets of their business alone: cooking, serving, cleaning and bookkeeping. Due to the immensity of these tasks, they often face 14-hour days.
“The work consists of long hours, but my energy comes from my motivation and not taking what’s going on lightly,” says Jote. “The feedback we get every day. . . motivates you to improve what you can improve upon, and continue to hope things improve naturally in the future.”
Promoting Ethiopian food in an area not exactly brimming with ethnic cuisine was an obvious risk, even more so considering it’s not eaten with utensils.
“How well that would be received was a concern; I just hoped people would like it along with the dedication and good work,” says Jote. “Most people support or understand an idea based on give and take; food is an intimate part of an individual, and I knew what kind of role I would play in providing and meeting that expectation.”
Jote says Lethbridge College taught him to understand the unique relationship between the customer and the service provider. He notes establishing and maintaining that relationship is especially crucial when you run a restaurant serving Ethiopian food.
“That relationship can only come when you present yourself as you are, and presenting what you have as a product,” says Jote. “At the end, you can actually get a picture of what (customers) want to see in terms of food.”
Jote believes taking the time to explain etiquette to customers is vital.
“When there are new people at the table, we go through presentation and how the food is to be consumed, and what type of food could work for them,” he says. “So, taking the time to walk the customers through the process is an important part of what I do.”
Jote notes this interaction provides an opportunity to see where his business is headed.
“It’s an opportunity to see the results of what you have started and where you are going,” he says. “You want to be involved as much as you can, to see your focus and how much you’re moving towards your goal.”
Jote has developed a unique business practice: if a customer has eaten a meal, and isn’t full when finished, he provides a free second helping.
“It’s just the right thing to do,” he says. “People argue that you lose money, but I don’t see it that way; it’s about give and take, and it’s up to me to go beyond the expected service.”
Jote believes bringing Ethiopian cuisine to the city is a cultural exchange rather than merely a way to make money. Because of this, he believes competition, such as a recently opened Indian restaurant, is positive because it furthers cultural understanding.
“Another addition to Lethbridge will only increase our restaurant market in terms of ethnic groups. This will only help us grow together, and in the end, people will decide where they want to go. In that sense, it’s a very supportive element in breaking into southern Alberta to give people more variety.”
After almost two years in business, Jote hopes to remain in his present locale to create an intimate, communal dining experience.
“At the level I am now, if I can sustain myself, if I can feel happy doing what I do, I think money will be secondary.”
(To see some Ethiopian recipes see Injera (Ethiopian flatbread) in Wider Horizons spring 2009)
