TheEthiopian Chef
The Journal

Stories from the Ethiopian kitchen.

Spices, rituals and the traditions behind every dish we cook.

October 15, 2026 · 2 min read

The Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony: A Ritual of Hospitality

Ethiopia is widely regarded as the birthplace of coffee. Arabica coffee grows wild in the forests of the country's southwest, and coffee remains woven into everyday life. Nowhere is this clearer than in the coffee ceremony, known in Amharic as buna, a ritual of welcome that can last an hour or more. Setting the sceneThe ceremony is traditionally led by a woman of the household. Before it begins, fresh grass or leaves may be scattered on the floor, and frankincense is lit so its fragrant smoke...

October 15, 2026 · 2 min read

Why Injera Is Plate, Utensil, and Bread All at Once

At an Ethiopian table, there are usually no forks and often no individual plates. Instead, a large round of injera is spread across a shared platter, stews and vegetables are spooned on top, and more injera is rolled up on the side. Injera is the plate, the utensil, and the bread, all in one. It starts with teffTraditional injera is made from teff, a tiny grain native to the Ethiopian highlands that has been cultivated there for thousands of years. Teff seeds are among the smallest of any...

October 15, 2026 · 2 min read

Berbere 101: The Spice Blend at the Heart of Ethiopian Cooking

If Ethiopian cooking has a signature, it is berbere. This brick-red spice blend gives the cuisine its deep color, its slow-building warmth, and much of its unmistakable aroma. Walk into any Ethiopian kitchen preparing a stew and the scent of berbere toasting in butter will tell you what is coming long before the food reaches the table. What is berbere?Berbere is a blend of dried chili peppers and a long list of warm spices and aromatics. There is no single official recipe. Families, regions,...