The heartening Cook for Ukraine campaign is in full swing. The new appeal was founded by the food writers Olia Hercules, Alissa Timoshkina, and Zuza Zak – a Ukrainian, Russian, and Polish dream team – alongside Unicef, to which all proceeds will be sent, and the influencer extraordinaire Clerkenwell Boy.
At the time of writing this, more than £70,000 had been donated. The aim is to raise awareness and to raise funds, but to also shine a light on Ukraine’s rich culture and history, which for so long has not been given the attention it deserves. The first of many planned events includes a talk from Olia and Alissa at Layla Bakery in Notting Hill today. The pair will discuss “food, women, Ukraine and Russia, peace and friendship”, and there will be drinks from the Ukrainian spirits company Dima's Vodka. “I feel like with any war that’s going on anywhere in the world, people can get fatigued quite quickly and disassociate themselves from it”, Olia said. “So it’s really important to keep the human element of it, and what’s more human than sharing food together?”
Donate here and read more about the industry's efforts to support Ukraine here. Lots more to come.
First published in our sister publication CODE Hospitality
