Hiwot tries the fabulous Five Bean Parfait

Hiwot Haileselassie Weldegebreal hails from Ethiopia. She worked as a chef until she came to Japan in 2008 to attend the opening of an Ethiopian restaurant in Fukuoka. It was her first experience of living in Japan and, although initially nervous, she was positive enough to tough it out. “It’ll work out!” she told herself – and, sure enough, it did!
At home in Ethiopia, Hiwot enjoys visiting cafés to meet friends or to just relax over a cup of latte in her spare time. “It’s a more modern style of socialising,” she explains. She was pleased to visit ELLE CAFÉ, with its wide range of quality items for sale, including imported cooking ingredients.
We recommended Japanese sweets to Hiwot who is more accustomed to the strong, spicy flavors of Ethiopian food. The five bean parfait consists of maccha ice cream topped with five different kinds of bean, which are first stewed with quality white coarse sugar for ten hours. She was pleasantly surprised to find that the sugar had soaked through the beans and later asked a member of the café staff how they made the dessert.
Although not working as a chef at the moment, Hiwot continues to cook Ethiopian food for her friends and at small events. She wants to continue cooking and making people happy with her dishes.

ELLE CAFÉ Fukuoka Hakata
4F Hakata Hankyu, 1-1 Hakataeki-chuogai, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka
Tel: 092-419-5832
Open: 10:00 ~ 21:00

キュッと引き締まった抜群のスタイルと優しい語り口調が人を魅了する、ヒワツ・ハイレシラシェ・ワルデガブレアル、愛称ヘイワ。エチオピアで学校を卒業した後、シェフとしての人生を歩んでいた彼女は、福岡でのエスニック料理店オープンのために2008年に初めて日本にやってきた。来日することへの不安も、なかったといえば嘘になるが「来てしまえば何とかなる！」と、笑い飛ばした。
エチオピアでは、友だちと会うためにカフェに行き、ラテを飲みながらくつろぐ、というのがお決まりのプライベートタイムだったというヘイワ。スイーツやフードも充実し、しかもショッピングもできるエル・カフェに最初は驚いた様子だったけれど「新しいスタイルね！」と、たくさんのグッズの中から珍しい輸入食材を手に取り、さっそく情報収集を楽しんでいる。
肉や豆を使ったスパイシーな料理が多いエチオピア料理とのギャップを楽しんでもらおうと、エル・カフェで人気の和風スイーツを勧めてみた。抹茶のアイスの上に、最高級白ザラメ糖で10時間煮詰めて、ふっくらと甘みをしみ込ませた5種類の豆をたっぷり添えたパフェの、豆の中までしっかりと甘みがしみ込んでいることが特に気になるらしく、スタッフにどうやって作るのかを熱心に聞いていた。
今はシェフの仕事を離れているが、プライベートでは友人やイベントでエチオピア料理を振る舞うヘイワ。これからも料理に携わり続けて、たくさんの人に笑顔を届けたいと微笑んだ。

ELLE CAFÉ 福岡博多店
福岡市博多区博多駅中央街1番1号 博多阪急4階
電話：092-419-5832
営業時間：10:00〜21:00

눈이 부신 날렵한 S라인과 상냥한 말씨로 사람들을 사로잡는 ‘헤이와’. 에티오피아에서 학교를 졸업한 후 셰프가 된 그녀는 후쿠오카에서 에스닉 레스토랑을 열기 위해 2008년에 처음으로 일본을 찾았다. 일본으로 오는데에 불안이 없었다면 거짓말이겠지만 ‘일단 오면 어떻게든 된다니까요!’라며 웃어보였다.
에티오피아에 있었을 때는 친구를 만나기 위해 카페에 가서 라떼를 마시며 여유로운 한때를 보내는 것이 그녀만의 프라이빗 타임이었다는 헤이와. 스위츠, 푸드도 다양하며 쇼핑도 할 수 있는 엘르 카페를 보고 처음엔 놀란듯 했지만 ‘새로운데요!’라며 여러 상품 중에서 좀처럼 보기 드문 수입 식자재를 골라 들고서는 이리저리 살펴본다.
고기, 콩 등을 사용한 매콤한 요리가 대부분인 에티오피아 요리와의 갭을 알려주기 위해 일본풍 스위츠를 권해 보았다. 녹차 아이스크림 위에 최고급 굵은 설탕으로 10시간 졸여 부드럽게 단 맛을 스며들게 한 5종류의 콩을 듬뿍 얹은 파르페. 콩 속까지 촉촉하게 달콤함이 스며든 점이 마음에 든 듯 스탭에게 만드는 법을 물어보았다.
지금은 셰프일은 하지 않지만 개인적으로는 친구들과, 또는 이벤트 때에 에티오피아 요리를 만드는 헤이와. 앞으로도 요리를 하며 많은 사람들을 웃게 하고 싶다며 미소지어 보인다.

ELLE CAFÉ 후쿠오카 하카타점
후쿠오카시 하카타구 하카타역 추오마치 1-1 하카타 한큐 4층
전화: 092-419-5832
영업시간: 10:00~21:00

Hiwot Haileselassie Weldegebreal hails from Ethiopia. She worked as a chef until she came to Japan in 2008 to attend the opening of an Ethiopian restaurant in Fukuoka. It was her first experience of living in Japan and, although initially nervous, she was positive enough to tough it out. “It’ll work out!” she told herself – and, sure enough, it did!
At home in Ethiopia, Hiwot enjoys visiting cafés to meet friends or to just relax over a cup of latte in her spare time. “It’s a more modern style of socialising,” she explains. She was pleased to visit ELLE CAFÉ, with its wide range of quality items for sale, including imported cooking ingredients.
We recommended Japanese sweets to Hiwot who is more accustomed to the strong, spicy flavors of Ethiopian food. The five bean parfait consists of maccha ice cream topped with five different kinds of bean, which are first stewed with quality white coarse sugar for ten hours. She was pleasantly surprised to find that the sugar had soaked through the beans and later asked a member of the café staff how they made the dessert.
Although not working as a chef at the moment, Hiwot continues to cook Ethiopian food for her friends and at small events. She wants to continue cooking and making people happy with her dishes.

ELLE CAFÉ Fukuoka Hakata
4F Hakata Hankyu, 1-1 Hakataeki-chuogai, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka
Tel: 092-419-5832
Open: 10:00 ~ 21:00