Home / War and Conflict / Ukrainian Chef Fights for Country, Then Opens London Restaurant
Ukrainian Chef Fights for Country, Then Opens London Restaurant
10 Sep
Summary
- Opened restaurant in Ukraine just before war with Russia
- Kept restaurant running, cooking for hospitals and military during war
- Joined army, then opened new restaurant in London with Ukrainian team
In 2022, a Ukrainian chef opened a restaurant in his hometown of Dnipro, just before the outbreak of war with Russia. When the conflict began, he gave his team the option to leave the city, but they all chose to stay and keep the restaurant operational. The team started cooking for hospitals, the national guard, and providing food packs for those in need.
Despite the challenges of the war, the chef remained focused on his restaurant, even as he was called to join the army. While serving, he continued to advise army cooks on meal preparation, using local ingredients found in abandoned houses. In late 2023, the chef met a new business partner who wanted to open a Ukrainian restaurant in London, and he decided to take on this new venture.
The chef's army unit supported his decision, recognizing his passion for the culinary arts. He has now opened a restaurant called Sino in London, with a kitchen team that is mostly Ukrainian. The chef sees his new role as a way to promote Ukrainian food culture on an international level, using cooking as a form of "soft power." His experiences in the army have taught him valuable lessons about discipline and perspective, which he now applies to running his restaurant.
