Restaurant staffed by Ukrainian refugees to open in London

A restaurant staffed by Ukrainian refugees who have settled in the UK is to open in London’s Chelsea on 9 August.

Mrirya, which is the Ukrainian word for ‘dream’, is run by Ukrainian chef Yurii Kovryzhenko (pictured above right), who was cooking at the country’s embassy in London on the day of the Russian invasion. He decided to stay in the UK and is launching the restaurant with co-founder and partner Olga Tsybytovska (pictured above left).

The team behind Mriya describe the venture as “more than just a restaurant project” because of its strong social ethos. As well as hiring Ukrainian refugees, the pair intend to donate part of the profit to charity helping Ukrainian victims of war.

Tsybytovska, who is also the marketing and communication manager at Mriya, told The Caterer she was able to recruit staff on social media groups open to Ukrainians settling in the UK.

The final team is very “diverse”, featuring a mix of students, maths teachers, English teachers, business owners, experienced chefs, and bakers, she said.

Since deciding to stay in the UK Kovryzhenko has been involved in over 20 charity dinners, including the Lunch4Ukraine event held at London’s JW Marriott Grosvenor Square in April, which raised nearly £200,000.

Chicken Kyiv, which was served to the 1,000 guests who attended the event, will make a return at Mriya in what Kovryzhenko called a “restaurant variation”.

The 67-seater restaurant will showcase both classic Ukrainian dishes as well as Kovryzhenko’s interpretation of the cuisine, which he was famous for in his home country. Examples include forshmak herring pate, cream soup of blue cabbage and celery, and duck tartare.

Ukrainian brand Dima’s Vodka will oversee the drinks offering, which will include food and vodka pairing recommendations, alongside a selection of Ukrainian wine.

Tsybytovska said: “It seems that the whole Ukrainian community is aware [of] the project– that’s how we found everyone. We have so many neighbours passing by the restaurant offering help to us. It’s amazing really. It gives us more strength and inspiration to continue.”

But amid the excitement, Kovryzhenko said we was “nervous” about how guests would “understand or not understand” his food.

Tsybytovska added: “It’s not easy when you have to leave your country. When you are in a new place, it’s not easy to find yourself, so the fact that we have this opportunity, we are very grateful. We are perfectionists so we want everything to be the best. That’s why we are so nervous.”