Chefs rally to support Ukraine
Chef Damian Wawrzyniak, who runs Peterborough-based modern Polish restaurant House of Feasts, pledged on his Twitter page this weekend to pay for visas and flights for two Ukrainian chefs looking to come to the UK.
He said: "To Ukrainian chefs who are looking for work in the UK, I will pay for two visas and your flights from Poland/Ukraine to UK.
"We can also help with accommodation."
In a later tweet, Wawrzyniak added that he had contacted his local MP to help him organise the visas, and had been promised that they 'will try do everything in his powers to get it done'.
The Government has been facing significant criticism over failing to relax the visa requirements for Ukrainian nationals fleeing the Russian invasion.
Although minor changes to visa rules for Ukranians wanting to come to the UK have been made in recent days, people still in Ukraine who do not have British relatives have been unable to make a visa application from that country.
Last night (27 February), it was announced that 'immediate family members', as defined by the Government, would be able to join Ukrainians settled in the UK. However, the policy has been criticised for not going far enough.
Wawrzyniak's pledge has been matched on Twitter by others in the industry, with Alex Hole, owner of southern-based seaside cafe group Perch also offering to sponsor two visas and pay for travel.
Meanwhile, Ben Gabbitas, head of recruitment at Malmaison and Hotel Du Vin, wrote: "We have hotels across the UK and would be happy to help with kitchen positions as well as other roles within the hotel subject to Priti Patel amending the visa regulations."
Nearly 400,000 Ukrainian refugees have fled their homes since Russia's invasion on Thursday (24 February), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has reported.
Cook For Ukraine
Meanwhile, a group of chefs and food writers have come together to launch #CookForUkraine, a fundraising campaign that aims to 'increase awareness of the humanitarian crisis, as well as raise the funds needed to aid children and families in Ukraine who have been displaced by the current situation'.
The movement has been created by industry influencer Clerkenwell Boy and the Unicef NEXTGen team, led by Layla Yarjani, Noura Al-Maashouq & Serena (Guen) MacLeod of SUITCASE Magazine. They have teamed up with food writers Alissa Timoshkina, Zuza Zak and Olia Hercules to collate Ukrainian and Eastern European recipes and stories, and together with volunteers, will be organising fundraisers, supper clubs and bake sales in the coming weeks.
Restaurant and other hospitality operators can add a voluntary £1, £2, or £5 donation to the bill throughout the month of March 2022 to help the cause, and are encouraged to contact the group if they wish to get involved.
“Today, more than ever, I feel how important food is to our understanding of the world around us," said Timoshkina, author of Salt and Time: Recipes from a Russian Kitchen.
"As my heart breaks to see my native country forging a war with its close neighbour, I turn to food for its power to heal, to educate, to unite and to support.
"Like millions of Russians, I too have Ukrainian roots, and grew up on a beautiful diet of Ukrainian and Russian dishes. These countries have shared a complex and rich history, and the culinary language reflects this relationship in the most powerful and relatable way. I am so grateful to have had first hand experience of it and it is so important for me today to play a part in spreading the message of unity.
"My heart goes out to all the people of Ukraine who are standing up to Putin’s aggression with such dignity! I thank you all for caring, for having a heart and for not being afraid to speak the truth in such dark times!
"Let’s cook for Ukraine, for peace, for freedom, for truth, for common sense, for rational thought and for love."
To find out more about #CookForUkraine and how to get involved, click here.
