Bohdan’s Kitchen Community: From Surviving to Serving Thousands Daily
Before the war, Bohdan’s business focused entirely on frozen goods. His company in Poltava produced ice cream and traditional Ukrainian foods like varenyky (stuffed dumplings) and syrnyky (cottage cheese pancakes). He had never prepared hot meals, never worked in food service, and certainly never imagined he would one day be serving thousands of hot meals a day to neighbors displaced by war.
That changed in February 2022.
As displaced families began arriving in Poltava, Bohdan posted a simple message on social media: “We know how to cook. If anyone needs help, we’re ready.”
He started preparing hot meals from his remaining frozen stock and handed out food wherever he could. Soon, he had to sell his freezers and a delivery vehicle to pay for ingredients, donate his supplies, and do everything possible to help those who had lost their communities.
“I was days away from shutting down,” he says. “We had no money left, but people still needed to eat.”
That’s when he heard about World Central Kitchen. At first, he was skeptical. “I didn’t believe an organization could exist that would help us transparently and honestly.” But after a local contact introduced him to WCK, “We shook hands, and everything changed.”
With WCK’s support, Bohdan expanded his cooking operations to multiple kitchens, developed a delivery system, and scaled up to prepare 5,000 hot meals per day at the peak of need. His team delivered food to schools, dormitories, and shelters throughout Poltava, often being the only ones providing hot meals. The result is remarkable: 427,000+ meals served together with WCK since 2022.
“WCK didn’t just support us,” Bohdan says. “WCK saved my business.”
The energy, the speed, the focus—we felt it, and we built that spirit into everything we do now. It inspired a whole new way of thinking. It showed us what was possible.
Bohdan
WCK Restaurant Partner, Ukraine
But the impact went far beyond resources. By cooking for thousands, Bohdan’s team gained hands-on experience as they learned how to build menus, manage logistics, and prepare fresh, nutritious meals at-scale. “Before this, we didn’t know how to cook hot meals at all. Now, that’s our business.”
What began as emergency food relief has since evolved into Poltavski Pundyky, a food company built on the values WCK tapped into—dignity, care, speed, and community. Today, his team runs five dining spaces across the city, many in the same locations where they once served displaced people for free. They offer hot meals, fresh baked goods, pizza, catering services, and delivery, all grounded in national culture through food.
The team still delivers free meals to hundreds of impacted residents daily. Many of their 80 employees are themselves displaced people who first arrived in Poltava during the war. Bohdan’s business is also a key WCK emergency partner, ready to mobilize hot meals following missile strikes or other urgent events.
Meeting WCK founder José Andrés left a lasting impression on Bohdan. “The energy, the speed, the focus—we felt it, and we built that spirit into everything we do now. It inspired a whole new way of thinking. It showed us what was possible.”
Bohdan says he learned to lead differently. His team now prioritizes quick decisions, responsive service, and flexibility, not only to thrive in business, but to help everyone thrive within their community.
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