Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia. Situated on the edge of the Great Rift Valley it is a city on a hill and cannot be hidden. Founded in 1887 by Emperor Menelik the second, this ancient city is sometimes referred to as The Political Capital of Africa being home to the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. It is also a well-known travel hub. Addis Ababa means “new flower” in Amharic, the national language of Ethiopia.
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The love for one’s country and culture can be so imbued in the person that they are, that it brings them great pleasure to share their heritage at any opportunity. Such was the drive that propelled Senait Mekonnen to launching her own enterprise – an Ethiopian restaurant in Dar es Salaam that proudly proclaimed itself as Addis in Dar.
Ruth is fascinated by Senait’s boldness not only launching Addis in with absolutely zero experience, but also to dream of birthing a chain of restaurants under the brand and each of them in a different city on the continent and possibly Asia or Europe.
The success of Addis in Dar, had Senait scouting for the next location. Her imagination had also been captured by South Africa, and she inevitably found herself in the southern tip of Africa.
The path to finally choosing a location and launching Addis in Cape in 2007 was peppered with the kind of good fortune that favours the bold. The excitement of being on vibey on Cape Town’s vibey Long Street was the stuff of dreams coming true and Senait remains excited about her enterprises and continues to harbour plans to open another restaurant either in Stellenbosch or Nairobi.
The conversation reveals the playful and yet very determined spirit that Senait embodies. Her creative flair is undisputed and is a key undercurrent to how she perceives life in general and definitely freely applied to her business. Her love for her Ethiopian heritage may have spurred Senait at the outset, but now orbiting between Addis Ababa, Dar es Salaam and Cape Town, Senait Mekonnen has fallen in love with Africa. Now she’s on a mission to celebrate Afrocentricity, and what more luxuriating way than dining on delicious and aromatic Ethiopian cuisine and enjoying an ambiance of African hospitality.
Twendeni. Africa is ready!
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