In his native Ukraine, Yurii Kovryzhenko is a celebrity chef, TV presenter and all-round culinary leading light. But since the Russia invasion earlier this year, he’s taken on a new role raising awareness of the struggles facing his homeland. Earlier this year, he hosted over 20 charity dinners in just four months, raising a whopping £400,000 for Ukraine. Now he’s announced his next move: a bistro, run with his partner Olga Tsybytovska, and staffed entirely by Ukrainian refugees.
The restaurant will be called Mriya, which translates as ‘dream’ – which reflects its proprietors' dreams of victory for Ukraine. From a site on Chelsea's Brompton Road, Mriya will serve up a mix of Ukrainian classics and more novel dishes: chicken Kyiv and his signature, Michelin Guide-praised borsch, of course, but also more leftfield choices like courgette pancakes with stracciatella and pampushky (Ukrainian garlic buns). It’ll also have a dedicated refrigeration room for making the fermented fruits and vegetables that are so central to trad Ukrainian cuisine. And of course, there’ll be plenty of vodka to wash it all down, including custom-infused vodka and food pairings.
Mriya will open later this year: for now, the precise date and location are under wraps. But it should provide a much-needed hub for London's Ukrainian community, as well as somewhere to raise a glass to the refugees who are making our capital a better, more interesting place to live.
Here are some great ways to help the people of Ukraine.
Ottolenghi is doing a home houmous kit for £45.
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