Get to know the force behind #ChefsForUkraine
Our response is simple—Ukrainians feeding Ukrainians.
In the early days, WCK’s Relief Team worked quickly to establish systems capable of adapting and meeting the shifting food needs of families across the country. As the situation unfolded, we brought on Ukrainian Food Fighters to inform and lead our efforts because what we have learned throughout the years is that locals know best. At the height of our response we had more than 4,500 people—chefs, drivers, warehouse managers, logistics experts—who helped us serve millions of daily meals. Together, we built the largest food relief operation in Ukraine. And more than a year later, brave and dedicated Food Fighters continue to show up every day to ensure WCK is providing nourishing food and water to frontline communities and people forced to live with limited resources.
We invite you to get to know a few of the Food Fighters who are leading #ChefsForUkraine below.
How did you join WCK’s Ukraine response?
The first time I met WCK was at the railway station in Kramatorsk, Donetsk region, when the first WCK train with food aid arrived in the city. It was a tremendous and vital help. We immediately got along and started working together.
Tell us what your individual role and responsibilities are with WCK and how they contribute to WCK’s overall mission in Ukraine.
I have been volunteering since 2014. Nevertheless, with World Central Kitchen, this assistance has grown tremendously, tenfold. This is a completely new format of humanitarian aid for us.
My husband, Serhiy, and I are regional coordinators in the Donetsk region. We are responsible for communication and public relations in the region, controlling warehouse stocks, assembling and distributing food kits, and building logistics routes all around the Donetsk region. Most importantly, we are responsible for the growth and motivation of our incredible regional team to share our love, hope, and support with the people who get our aid! Now we are distributing around 6,000 food kits a day. Imagine that for a moment: 6,000 families in Donetsk Oblast receive a week’s worth of food from us every day!
What has been your brightest moment working with WCK?
I would like to tell you a story about love. It was a difficult time of fear and uncertainty in Kramatorsk. We were unloading the train with food, and suddenly one amazing person, WCK videographer Sebastian, started playing the flute.
It was an incredible feeling of elation! He managed to create an atmosphere of love and kindness. In a few days, we became a big family at World Central Kitchen, and today we strive to share not only food but also love, support, and care.
What does being a Food Fighter mean to you?
What are your hopes and dreams?
Maybe for other people, it’s hard to imagine, but we can’t think or dream about anything else but peace and victory in our lovely country. Nothing will matter and no dream will become a reality without peace.
In general, before the Russian invasion, I dreamt about traveling, about living by the beautiful seacoast with my family. But any dream loses its importance in such conditions. I love my country too much.
3 words to describe WCK?
Magnitude, professionalism, love.
How did you join WCK’s Ukraine response?
I wasn’t looking for World Central Kitchen. Circumstances brought us together.
My story with WCK started at Lviv Railway Station. I was volunteering there, and every day I was eating delicious hot meals with some unknown to me (at that time) sticker – World Central Kitchen. I had no idea who was providing this food, but I was so grateful for this help. On the 13th of March, a friend of mine called and asked for help – WCK was searching for restaurants in Dnipro. I am originally from there, so it was a pleasure for me to help.
What is one thing you want to share with our WCK audience?
A new group of war refugees from cities all across the affected parts of my homeland are arriving at a parking lot in Zaporizhzhia. We [WCK] are ready to meet them with hot food and drinks. Twenty-four hours a day. Always.
And while they are being checked by the police, special services, and medics, I approach the car windows. “There we have hot food, tea, and candy. It’s free, but it’s a must. Please eat, we have been waiting for you. Where are you from? I’m glad you came,” I always say. And the last phrase just takes away all my breath for a few seconds, and my heart is painfully tight. After these words, people often cry, hug me, and smile when I tell them that I remember everyone and will find and feed them anyway I can. We will win this war and will definitely rebuild every house, every street, and every monument. We will return stronger. This is 100%!
What motivates you?
I am motivated by the fact that I can help be the hands of thousands of people who donate to WCK, and direct efforts to the places most in need. I am grateful for this opportunity to be helpful and use all my skills for good deeds.
How did you join WCK’s Ukraine response?
My first acquaintance with World Central Kitchen was in Lviv on February 27, when I received a call as the Director of !Fest Catering with a proposal to support the organizations’s efforts in preparing hot meals for Ukrainians. At that time, we [!Fest] were cooking up to 2,000 meals, but Jose asked us to make 20,000 meals at least, and we agreed.
What is one thing you want to share with our WCK audience?
While working at the organization, I realized how important the support of others is. As soon as you feel this support, your strength boosts instantly and nothing is impossible anymore.
3 words to describe WCK?
World Central Kitchen for me is a team, a force, and positive energy.
What motivates you?
I am motivated by the smiles of children who are happy to receive gifts and sweets. In general, such moments fill not only children but also adults with happiness. A smile is my ultimate weapon, even in the most difficult moments.
Left: Yuliya with a WCK meal recipient in Ukraine. Right: !Fest Catering preparing WCK-provided sandwiches during the early days of our response.
How did you join WCK’s Ukraine response?
I was traveling on a train from Lviv to Kyiv and saw a Facebook post saying they [WCK] were looking for an English-speaking videographer. A few days later, I met Sebastian Lindstrom and everything changed. Being a part of World Central Kitchen means making history!
Working at the organization has changed my life dramatically. I’ve met a lot of very close people, friends, and like-minded people.
What motivates you?
It doesn’t matter what your role is, whether you are a volunteer driver, a warehouse worker, or a regional leader. Everyone contributes to the victory. I’m happy that I can help with what I do best because even before the war I was shooting videos and telling stories of people and businesses. Thanks to the stories we are documenting, people will be able to see the truth about how hard it is for people during the war. I’m glad that we have not only dramatic stories but also inspirational ones. Ukrainians are very united and help each other. But the way the world has united to help Ukraine is incredible. I believe that the strength of humanity is in support, empathy, and generosity. And WCK’s strength is in people.
Check out some of Alex’s work with WCK above. This video shows our recent efforts in Ukraine’s Kherson region and includes personal stories from the people we met while delivering food kits.
What are your hopes and dreams?
In fact, it is very difficult to hear all the stories of our fellow Ukrainians (the people in my videos) who have suffered in one way or another as a result of the war. However, I always try to be positive regardless of the circumstances, and this motivates people to continue living and hoping for a better future.
How did you join WCK’s Ukraine response?
I spent the first two weeks of the war in Kharkiv in the basement of our multi-story building. It was very hard. I used to live in the now mostly destroyed neighborhood, Saltivka, which meant constant explosions, lack of food, and basic things in general. My boyfriend and I decided that we were absolutely useless in Kharkiv, so we had to run away. An evacuation train brought us to Lviv, where, while looking for housing and work, I met two WCK team members. I helped them a little bit, we exchanged contacts, and the next day I was already wearing a WCK T-shirt.
Tell us what your individual role and responsibilities are with WCK and how they contribute to WCK’s overall mission in Ukraine.
At first, I was invited to join the team as a translator, and later I became a regional leader for several regions. Today, I am responsible for many things, including translating texts, videos, and documents, creating and coordinating media content for WCK in Ukraine, as well as training the entire Ukrainian team in English to facilitate communication with our colleagues around the world.
What is one thing you want to share with our WCK audience?
I have always had faith in my country and our nation. We are truly remarkably resilient and brave. We have astounded the whole world with our perseverance and strength of spirit. Nevertheless, I realize that we could not have done it alone. World Central Kitchen has changed history and is empowering the people who have lost everything and have been under constant brutal physical and mental pressure for over a year. Our assistance makes people realize that someone cares about them and that they are not alone. When they learn that help comes from different countries, they gain the confidence to move on. It really seems like such a small detail, but being here on the ground, I saw it with my own eyes, how a person’s mood changes from a plate of food or a food kit.
What motivates you?
When your country is facing a war, you find yourself on the verge of utter despair and even depression. However, as soon as you start helping others, you realize that you can have an impact on the course of events and empower people. This motivates and energizes you, for sure.
What are your hopes and dreams?
It’s hard to talk about dreams now. February 24, 2022, erased all career and personal plans in my life. Now I am on the way to discovering myself again and finding my true purpose. Still, Ukrainians have one global dream, and it is self-evident: peace in our country.
3 words to describe WCK?
Long-term resilience, influential force, and big-hearted people.
How did you join WCK’s Ukraine response?
I was an active volunteer in the Mykolaiv region, so a friend recommended me when the WCK team expanded in the south of Ukraine.
Tell us what your individual role and responsibilities are with WCK and how they contribute to WCK’s overall mission in Ukraine.
I oversee the entire WCK operation in Mykolaiv and Kherson regions. These are difficult regions that were occupied for a long time. People survive in extremely difficult conditions, so our work is crucial for them. We are doing what WCK declares all over the world – we do not leave anyone hungry.
What is one thing you want to share with our WCK audience?
All of the Ukrainians have been living side by side with death for more than a year now. And God only knows who will be next. Because tomorrow I may be gone. In such circumstances, it is very important to preserve our humanity. Especially when the war is on and those around you need your help. Every day, when I feed people, I see tears of hope and gratitude in their eyes. And when I come back to them next time, I ask for only one thing – that they stay alive and that we are able to help them.
What are your hopes and dreams?
I always dreamed of being a dancer, but destiny was different. That’s probably why I dance in the kitchen when I cook. My dream is to open a healthy food restaurant and start my business again. And then go on vacation to the Ukrainian Maldives: Kinburn and Dzharylgach. I hope this can happen in my lifetime, because these territories are still occupied, and there are huge areas of ruins and mines. But I am an optimist, I believe in the best.
How did you join WCK’s Ukraine response?
I met World Central Kitchen at the Lviv Railway Station. I knew that people who had lost everything and needed support were now coming here. At the time, the WCK team thought that hot meals were not needed there because the station (Pidzamche station) was empty. The evacuation train was delayed. So I jumped into the conversation and defended the need for hot meals for these people. Because I was local, I knew the need.
Tell us what your individual role and responsibilities are with WCK and how they contribute to WCK’s overall mission in Ukraine.
From March to August, I was a regional leader for eight regions of Ukraine. I was involved in helping internally displaced people. The task of a regional leader is to properly organize the work of local coordinators and always stay in touch with the situation in each city so that the funds entrusted to you are spent wisely and with maximum efficiency. Initially, hot meals were the emergency type of assistance, but over time, we tried to find as many opportunities as possible to switch people to food kits, so they could cook what they want and when they want. Nowadays I am a part of the WCK media team – I help to spread information about our activities in Ukraine.
What are your hopes and dreams?
Before the war, I was an event manager of the largest events in Lviv. Working at the organization [WCK] reminds me a bit of one of those events, but here no one knows when the deadline is. I am proud that event industry experts can be of service to society even in such difficult times for the country. And one day we will work together to organize an outstanding event to celebrate our Victory.
What motivates you?
I am motivated by the fact that I am a part of something greater. Each of us works independently but creates one massive global story. World Central Kitchen is a concentration of a large number of people with big hearts.
How did you join WCK’s Ukraine response?
Finding World Central Kitchen was a gift of fate because I was supposed to leave Ukraine on March 13. I had already secured a contract in Germany. But 30 minutes before my train, I met these incredible people who came to help Ukraine win this war. No long interviews, everything was very quick and the next day I was already on the team.
What has been your brightest moment working with WCK?
In March, I was driving around Kyiv with José at night. The founder of our organization [WCK] loves maps with marks and arrows (let me remind you that in March the atmosphere in Kyiv was not friendly and there was territory defense at every step). It was a moment when we had to explain that we are not invaders here…only photos of our activities and photos of José and [Joe] Biden could convince our military of the integrity of our intentions. And after all we have done in Ukraine, you have no more borders.
How did you join WCK’s Ukraine response?
In April, a very large number of internally displaced people started arriving in Kryvyi Rih. We had our own volunteer headquarters working in different areas, but we did not have enough resources to do it all. One day my husband saw information about World Central Kitchen’s activities in Ukraine and we found the necessary contacts for cooperation. Now I coordinate the work of the World Central Kitchen’s global humanitarian mission in Kryvyi Rih, Kryvyi Rih district, and part of the Kherson region.
Left: Katya and her husband. Right: Families walking away with WCK Food Kits after Katya and the team delivered them to residents of Kryvyi Rih.
What motivates you?
I am motivated by the inspiring people of Ukraine. These people have lived through months of horrors of occupation, but they continue to smile. I want the whole world to know how fantastic our people are!
Tell us about yourself.
Before the war, I was a pastry chef. I baked pastries and cakes for sale. My husband and I have three children, 17-year-old Alika, 16-year-old Volodymyr, and 9-year-old Monika. I used to bake cakes and pastries to order and run an Instagram blog with almost 20,000 followers. But one day, everything changed. Today I find myself thinking that perhaps WCK’s Ukrainian mission is my life’s mission.
Tell us what your individual role and responsibilities are with WCK and how they contribute to WCK’s overall mission in Ukraine.
Today, I am an emergency response coordinator in six regions: I provide advice to local teams, develop ideas and help implement them. I am grateful to WCK for the opportunity to use my potential for a good purpose and to be part of a dedicated team.
What does being a Food Fighter mean to you?
For me, Food Fighters are the whole team. Not only those who deliver food and work in the fields. These are also those who work in the office and in general – everyone who was or will one day be involved in the incredible mission of feeding people! We do our best to ensure that people get food when they need it. Nothing can stop us.
What motivates you?
My colleagues. Every city is very special in its own way. And if you take all these pieces and put them together, you get something really great and motivating.
What is one thing you want to share with our WCK audience?
I want to say thank you to all the people supporting us around the globe. I spent a lot of time in the de-occupied territories and heard a lot. People are really grateful for our help. This is a big deal, it is timely and we will be there for these people as long as it is needed.
Above are images from WCK’s Emergency Response. Mobilizing immediately after missile stirkes, our Emergency Response teams arrive with hot meals, tea, and sandwiches for impacted families and first responders.
In every crisis WCK responds to, our Relief Team works alongside the community to understand unique needs and guide our efforts. We aim to empower locals and set systems in place so that when the emergency has subsided and WCK is no longer on the ground, community leaders can continue to support their neighbors. We are grateful for all of our Ukrainian team members who have chosen to be a part of WCK’s mission. No matter how small or large of a task, or whether on the frontlines or behind the scenes, every person who has been a part of our response has been critical in making our efforts possible.
Learn more about our #ChefForUkraine response here. For real-time updates, follow WCK on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
