>>> ABOUT 10,000 PEOPLE OF  ETHIOPIAN ORIGIN LIVE IN  CHICAGO.
A NUMBER THAT HAS INCREASED  OVER THE YEARS AS POLITICAL  TURMOIL ROILED THE EAST AFRICAN  REGION.
ABOUT 60% OF THEM LIVE IN THE  UPTOWN EDGEWATER AREA ON THE  CITY'S NORTH SIDE, MAKING THE  NEIGHBORHOOD THE PLACE TO GO  FOR ETHIOPIAN FOOD.
CHEF AND OWNER OFFERS A TASTE  OF HER HOME COUNTRY FOR SCENE,  AND NOW SHE'S COOKING UP RELIEF  FOR THE PEOPLE OF ETHIOPIA TOO.
IT IS ERIKA GUNDERSON HAD THE  SCOOP.
>> THE SPICES ARE, I WOULDN'T  SAY SO SPICY, BUT IT'S ALSO  SEASON WELL.
AND IT HAS A LOT OF CARD AMONG,  CAYENNE PEPPER, CINNAMON, THAT  NATURE.
>> Reporter: ON A BUSY CORNER  IN THE UPTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD, THE  RESTAURANT HAS BEEN INTRODUCING  CHICAGOANS TO ETHIOPIAN CUISINE  SINCE 2007.
>> AND WHAT I'M GOING TO BE --  SEEING A LOT OF PEOPLE -- WE  USE OUR HAND OR THE SPICES.
BUT  IN OUR RESTAURANT, IT'S THE  MOST POPULAR ONE, AND COMMON  ONE, WHICH IS, LIKE, YOU GET A  TASTE OF THE MENU WITH THREE  VEGGIES AND STREAMING PRINT  >> BEFORE OPENING THE  RESTAURANT, THE CHEF AND OWNER  SAID SHE HAD SOME PROFESSIONAL  HOSPITALITY EXPERIENCE, MOST OF  HER COOKING EXPERTISE WAS  HOMEMADE.
>> I GOT A NUMBER SEVEN OF 11.
AND WE HAVE TWENTYSOMETHING  PEOPLE LIVE IN ONE HOUSE.
SO WE ALWAYS COOKED, AND THERE  WAS ALWAYS SOMETHING GOOD.
A LOT OF PEOPLE AT HOME, AND MY  FORMER HUSBAND AT THE TIME SAID  WE SHOULD OPEN A RESTAURANT.
THE PLACE WAS AVAILABLE, AND  SIX MONTHS LATER, WE WERE OPEN.
>> Reporter: SHE SAYS THE  PANDEMIC TESTED THE RESTAURANT,  EDITED ALL CHICAGO RESTAURANTS.
BUT SHE SAID IT ALSO INSPIRED  HER TO DO MORE HUMANITARIAN  WORK WITH HER PLATFORM.
>> I THINK SOMETHING GOOD CAME  OUT OF IT, WHERE MENTAL HEALTH  BECAME MORE IMPORTANT, THE WAY  WE DO THINGS BECAME MORE  MINDFUL.
ALL OF THE THINGS THAT CAME OUT  OF IT, IT WAS A HORRIFIC  EXPERIENCE, BUT THERE ARE  THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF IT AS  WELL.
>> SINCE WAR BEGAN IN THE  REGION OF ETHIOPIA IN 2020, SHE  HAS PARTICIPATED IN A NUMBER OF  FUNDRAISING EVENTS FOR VARIOUS  CAUSES, SOMETHING SHE SAYS SHE  PLANS TO CONTINUE DOING IN THE  FUTURE.
>> IT'S BEEN A WAY OF -- ONE,  WE'RE MAKING AWARENESS.
TO  BECOME A BETTER TEAM.
WE'RE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE  EVERYTHING WE NEED.
AND WHEN THE WAR HAPPENED, WHAT  I KNOW IS TO COOK.
AND FEED PEOPLE.
AND I WANTED TO USE THAT AND  SUPPORT OTHERS THAT ARE IN NEED.
SUPPORT PEOPLE, AND TO DO WHAT  I LOVE AND HAVE OTHER PEOPLE  HAVE A BETTER LIFE.
>> Reporter: FOR CHICAGO  TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES, THIS IS  ERIKA GUNDERSON.
>>> IN ADDITION TO THE UPTOWN  LOCATION, IT RECENTLY OPENED A  TIME-OUT MARKET, AND IS  PLANNING A BROWNSVILLE LOCATION  FOR 2025.
ALSO ONE OF FIVE WOMEN CHEFS  PARTICIPATING IN THE  FUNDRAISING POP-UP A NIGHT OF  HOPE, BENEFITING 600 CHILDREN