Konjo Me brings Ethiopian cuisine to Detroit

A new restaurant is hoping to make a big impact with its fresh African flavor in Midtown Detroit. 

Chef Helina Melaku, who is originally from Ethiopia, opened Konjo Me to introduce Detroiters to the food and stories of her homeland.

"I started Konjo Me in 2020 in the midst of the pandemic," Melaku said. "I was searching how to bring Ethiopian food to Detroiters. And as I was just doing some soul searching during that time, I decided to do it through food, through storytelling and showing Detroiters (and) Africans how to connect back to their ancestral roots."

Everything in the Konjo Me kitchen at the Detroit Shipping Company is made from scratch, Melaku said. All the spices and many of the ingredients are imported from Ethiopia, she added, reflecting an emphasis on authenticity and traditional preparation.

"It's a lot of love that goes into it. It does take a lot of time to make Ethiopian food. I am here to provide, to give that love back to you. And then also using your hands to eat the food, it's all about energy connection and touching and feeling your food. And steering a little bit away from always using forks and knives," she said.

Ethiopian meals are typically eaten by hand with injera, a spongy, fermented flatbread that absorbs the flavors of the dishes it accompanies. Melaku described food as a vehicle for storytelling and cultural connection as well as nourishment.

"'Konjo' means beautiful," she said. "Konjo Me represents your inner beauty and embracing your authentic self. I chose that because it's not about what you look like from the outside, it's really the inside that matters, and what you put into your body as well."

Melaku said she developed the business through a series of local and national entrepreneurship programs. She was a finalist in the Hatch Detroit competition and participated in TechTown's Retail Boot Camp, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses, and the Detroit Neighborhood Entrepreneur Program.

"Through those programs I was able to gain a lot of knowledge about entrepreneurship, understanding my business and how to build it," she said. "And then on top of that, with these cohorts, they have pitch competitions as well as grants that they provided. And I also work with Prosperous as well."

Konjo Me will hold its grand opening on March 14. The Detroit Shipping Company is located at 474 Peterboro Street.