From the moment you step inside Rendez-Vous Restaurant on Danforth Avenue, Toronto, the air itself feels alive – warmed by the fragrance of berbere spice, slow-simmered stew, and freshly roasted Ethiopian coffee. But what guests may not realise immediately is that this space – this sensory bridge between East Africa and Canada – is not just a restaurant. It is the life’s work, devotion, and spiritual offering of one woman: Banchi Kinde.
Born and raised in Ethiopia, Banchi grew up in a household where cooking was not simply a task – it was heritage, memory, responsibility, and love made visible. From a young age, she followed her mother into the kitchen, absorbing tradition not from recipe books, but from instinct – the way only true guardians of culture do. She cooked not because she had to – but because it lit something in her soul. That inner flame never dimmed.
Her journey eventually led her across the world to North America, where she worked in renowned establishments including the Sheraton and Hilton hotels, as well as Ethiopian restaurants across the United States. These experiences strengthened her culinary artistry – but just as importantly, they refined her understanding of hospitality. She studied not only fine service but the psychology of care – and she invested in professional food training and specialized courses to deepen that mastery.
In 2001, she brought that vision home – not to Ethiopia, but to Danforth, Toronto, where she opened Rendez-Vous Ethiopian and Eritrean Restaurant. She did not just open a restaurant – she planted cultural roots. For over 24 years, Rendez-Vous has stood as one of the oldest Ethiopian and Eritrean restaurants on Toronto’s east side, a landmark of taste, tradition, and soul.
She calls it her “child,” and it is not a metaphor. Banchi still cooks in the kitchen every day – not out of necessity, but devotion. She sees every guest. She feels the energy in the room. And her greatest joy is not simply when people enjoy her food – but when they understand it.
Perhaps the most sacred experience one can witness at Rendez-Vous is the traditional Ethiopian bunna coffee ceremony. In Ethiopia – the birthplace of coffee – this is not merely a drink but a ritual of unity and respect. Guests at Rendez-Vous can watch coffee beans roasted fresh at their table, breathing in the smoke as it rises through the air like incense – followed by the first pour, served not alone, but with a side of warm, freshly popped popcorn, just as it is in the villages of her homeland. For many, it is their very first glimpse into the spiritual poetry of Ethiopian life.
Toronto embraced her – and she embraced Toronto back. A proud lover of its multicultural spirit, she has served the Danforth community for decades, even becoming a board member of the Danforth BIA for over 17 years, actively shaping the neighborhood’s cultural identity.
And now, a full circle moment: the second generation has begun to return. The children she once served are now adults – bringing children of their own. Nothing moves her more deeply than this quiet, generational confirmation: I am home here. My culture has taken root.
In 2022, she expanded her vision even further with the opening of La Vegan – Ethiopian and Eritrean Vegan Cuisine, also located on Danforth Avenue, honoring ancient plant-based traditions long before “vegan” became Western trend.
Today, Banchi Kinde is more than a restaurateur. She is a cultural bridge, a preserver of memory, and a living ambassador of East Africa.
And at Rendez-Vous, the promise remains the same:
Come not just to eat – but to travel. To feel. To witness. To remember.
No passport required.
Contact:
contact@rendezvousethiopianrestaurant.com
+1647-703-8591
