TWO UKRAINIAN refugees have started a cafe in Bromsgrove, selling traditional food from their home country.
Svitlana Hlovatska and Inna Starykova are using kitchen at Bromsgrove Methodist Centre to try out their business plan, with the hope of establishing their own venue in the town.
The Ukrainian cafe is open from 10.30am to 1.30pm on next Friday, May 17, and on May 31, with further dates to be announced, if successful.
Among the delicacies will be borscht and pancakes with a variety of fillings, as well as coffee, tea and biscuits.
Svitlana was an accountant in Kyiv. She is in the UK with her 15-year-old daughter, while her husband has remained in Ukraine providing free medical care with an international charity.
She said: “I don’t know English very well, I am learning it, but what we can do is cook.
“Ukrainian cuisine has always been very famous for its taste, and we are glad that we have the opportunity to introduce you to Ukraine through Ukrainian cuisine.”
Svitlana and Inna have been supported by Bromsgrove and Redditch Welcome Refugees, and are grateful for the hospitality of the two towns.
Svitlana added: “We really receive so much love and warmth from you, you treat us very well, and we also want to do something for you.”
Profits from the initial enterprise will help pay for use of the kitchen with the remainder being sent to Ukraine.
Inna worked in the Luhansk region as a kindergarten teacher, but she had to flee.
She said: “Now my house is under occupation and I have nowhere to return for now.”
She said she had big ambitions for the cafe.
“Of course, we would like to continue organising Ukrainian cuisine days in the church, but opening our own cafe would also be nice.
“We would be happy about that too.”
