56 August 22 • 2019
jn

dining in the ‘
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esa in Detroit has been open 
for almost eight months in the 
historic Vinton Building on 
Woodward Avenue at East Congress. 
This modern-American style restau-
rant featuring a raw bar and an 
impressive selection of wines contin-
ues to turn skeptics into regulars.
The name “Besa” comes from 
managing partner Mario Camaj’
s 
Albanian heritage. In times of war, 
Albanians would often house other 
people, even protecting them with 
their lives, and this cultural precept 
became known as “Besa.” For Camaj, 
he wants to show the same level of 
hospitality and honor in his restau-
rant.
Camaj works alongside Gerti 
Begaj, who began his culinary career 
as a server assistant under Camaj at 
downtown Birmingham’
s Tallulah 
Wine Bar & Bistro in 2013.
 
“Shortly after he [Begaj] became 
serving manager, he was running 
Tallulah pretty much every day,” 
Camaj says. “Then we decided to 
continue our relationship and he 
became a managing partner for Besa.”
The menu is modern, with plenty 
of atypical menu items. The raw bar 
on the ground level features oysters, 
beef tartare and various fish.
Executive Chef Kyle Schutte 
believes Besa’
s vichyssoise best rep-
resents his style, which he defines as 
“fun yet sophisticated, innovative yet 
familiar and humane yet accessible.” 
The dish is a potato waffle soaked in 
a potato and leek broth, topped off 
with leek butter.
“The vichyssoise is one of those 
dishes that is near and dear to my 
heart,” Schutte says. “It’
s the dish I 
realized that it isn’
t just about concept 

— it’
s about execution. At one point 
that dish got away from me and it 
was just about being different. It is a 
reminder to hone in on fundamen-
tals.”
Schutte struggled with being 
unable to tap into his creative side 
while studying psychology in college. 
He discovered a love for the culinary 
arts after eating an ice cream sand-
wich on a spur-of-the-moment trip 
to Maui.
“When I bit into this ice cream 
sandwich, it took me back to when I 
was 6 years old with my dad after a 
Little League game,” he says. “I wasn’
t 
in Maui — I wasn’
t worried about 
my future. I thought about how the 
chef has the ability to be creative and 
make a connection with their guests.”
After experiencing the joy of the 
culinary arts, he knocked on doors at 
local restaurants to get hired, eventu-
ally working his way up to executive 
chef.
The innovative style at Besa initial-
ly had some diners feeling skeptical. 
Now, Schutte says that after tasting 
his cuisine, guests are eager to come 
back and order their favorite dishes.
“We’
re doing things differently 
— a little out of the box,” he says. 
“People at first had to get their bear-
ings. It’
s Detroit, so everyone here is 
super-friendly and super-excited to 
have a new restaurant.”
With Besa only four months away 
from its first anniversary, Camaj‘
s and 
Begaj’
s goals are best summarized by 
the restaurant’
s namesake.
“Doing what we love, which is tak-
ing care of people,” Camaj says. ■

 
For more information on Besa, visit 
besadetroit.com or call (313) 315-3000.

MICHAEL PEARCE JN INTERN
Bold Flavors at Besa

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