By Mallory Legg
Photography: Ania Smoliakova
In February 2023, I wrote about a remarkable new restaurant in London (which you can read here), Mriya, founded, staffed, and run entirely by Ukrainian immigrants. Since the restaurant's opening, Mriya has garnered worldwide attention, with founder Olga Tsybytovska and Head Chef Tetiana Verestiuk showcasing Ukrainian cuisine on the global culinary stage. Nearly a year later, I had the privilege of sitting down with Olga to discuss Mriya’s success story…
A Ukrainian Success Story in London: Behind the Scenes of Mriya Restaurant
OT: "Okay, so I shall start from the very beginning. I came to London in February 2022 for a short holiday, just ten days. Suddenly, the war started, and we decided to stay in the UK. Immediately, we looked for ways we could be useful here, how we could help our country.
We were all lost, in despair, and scared. On the second day of the war, I sent an email to Carousel in Fitzrovia asking them to organise a fundraising dinner with a Ukrainian menu and chef. That’s how our fundraising efforts in London began. After that event, Jamie Oliver, Richard Corrigan, Jason Atherton, and countless other world renowned and Michelin-starred chefs collaborated with us.
We realised people liked our food and saw the potential for opening a Ukrainian restaurant in London. Thus, Mriya Neo Bistro was born.
Mriya means “dream” in Ukrainian. It’s our common dream for peace and victory at home, and it’s my personal dream to promote Ukrainian cuisine. Our team comprises of 95% immigrants from Ukraine.
We have very young team members, like 17 and 18-year-olds, for whom this is their first job in hospitality. We also have former business owners, lawyers, and accountants working in the kitchen. We’re all still learning and growing."
How does this working environment and culture translate into the dishes you serve at Mriya?
OT: For us, this place is our home away from home. It’s the epicenter of the Ukrainian community. We speak Ukrainian together and share the same roots. Being new in the country and starting something means we support each other, creating a special ambience reflected in the restaurant’s atmosphere.
It’s not just work; it’s a mission to represent our country, a huge responsibility. We don’t just sell food and feed people; we represent Ukraine. It’s a big honour and responsibility, creating a family spirit.
You have such a clear mission. Do you think Mriya has been effective in expanding and uplifting Ukrainian culture?
OT: Definitely. I’m trying to make this place a Ukrainian hub that connects people. We often see tables coming together, recognising each other from Ukraine or sharing the same hometown, and then continuing to be in each other’s lives. This is truly a place where useful and successful connections form.
I love connecting people. Many Ukrainians in London - musicians, artists, business owners - came during the war. We can unite and work for the same common goal of promoting Ukraine. If you pass our windows, you’ll see posters for Ukrainian concerts or artists in the UK. We always try to help and build these relationships in the community.
How has the London community received Mriya over the past nearly two years?
OT: Mostly positively, yes. But there are always some who say, “My grandmother cooked it better.” We chose an interesting concept, ‘neo-bistro’, cooking contemporary Ukrainian food. We’re not ‘home-style’ Ukrainian food; it’s more sophisticated, reflecting modern trends and tastes. It’s a symbiosis of classics with a twist, and sometimes Ukrainians prefer something else. Criticism helps us develop, construct, and adjust.
How has the menu evolved since you began? How often do you revise it?
OT: We update the menu seasonally, every three or four months, and hold special events with set menus. For example, in February, we had a wine tasting with a five-course menu featuring truffles from our Italian supplier. Ukrainian cuisine and truffle - what do those have in common? But it’s important to work with modern trends.
We want to show Ukraine as a state progressing with modernity, incorporating new things into our contemporary plates. We might serve Ukrainian dumplings with potato and black truffle or combine salo with truffle honey. It’s amazing.
Ukrainian cuisine, like any other, is a living organism. It evolves. We’re Ukrainians in the UK, not living behind high walls. I want to connect with local cuisine and incorporate new features, like Ukrainian-style Sunday roasts. Why not?
Tell me more about your drinks menu. How do you source your wines, and what’s the significance of this list?
OT: Promoting Ukrainian winemaking is crucial for us. I know many people in Ukraine still working in winemaking, and I want to shout about them to the world. Our Polish wines also hold significance - they’ve given huge support to Ukrainian immigrants.
Including them on the list is my way of saying thank you. There’s a stereotype that Eastern European wine, especially Ukrainian wine, isn’t good. That’s not true. These small wineries use manual labor for harvesting and selecting, giving the wine more soul and better quality than large conglomerates.
The choices for Ukrainian wine are expanding, and the supply is more stable. I hope the trend grows, and the world learns about Ukrainian winemaking.
Are the Ukrainian wine tastings successful?
OT: Yes. People are eager to try something new. We do tastings with sommeliers and winery representatives, listening to their stories and witnessing people who’ve never tried Ukrainian wine be so impressed they take more bottles home.
What’s an item on the menu that surprises people and showcases Ukrainian gastronomy?
OT: Our sour cherry Verenyky - Ukrainian dumplings that are sweet and a little sour, served as a dessert. You won’t find anything like it in other cuisines. And our savoury vodka infusions! Horseradish is widespread in our cuisine, and our horseradish infusion surprises people.
Ukrainian cuisine still remains a bit underestimated and unexplored, with huge potential to surprise people.
What’s your favorite dish on the current menu, and what’s the inspiration behind it?
OT: Cheburek - a Crimean deep-fried pastry with minced lamb, served warm and fluffy, made to order. It reminds me of my childhood summers in Crimea, eating these every day. When Crimea was taken by Russia in 2014, I never travelled there again. Putting Cheburek on the menu was thrilling. With this nostalgia factor, I’m not afraid to say it’s the best Cheburek in all of London.
How did you design the interior of Mriya? What was the thought process behind it?
OT: We wanted to fill the space with Ukrainian spirit, so we invited a team of Ukrainian designers. They helped turn the space into a piece of Ukraine, balancing authenticity and contemporary style. We have a wood beam from a building in Lviv, more than 100 years old.
Our designers brought it to us. There are many special details in the interior reflecting Ukraine, and all the art on our walls is Ukrainian and available for purchase. Everything is intentional.
How do you measure success at Mriya?
OT: Romantically, it’s seeing guests return, satisfied and happy. It’s reflected in the plates, made with heart and soul, not just skills and techniques. When employees and guests are happy, I’m happy too.
Judging by your definition of success and the reviews, it seems like you’ve truly excelled. What’s next?
OT: In the spring, we’ll update the menu again. I want my team to develop, learn, and maybe be nominated for recognition. I learn from them every day and look forward to seeing them grow.
What’s your ultimate dream for Mriya in London?
OT: I want to continue what we’re doing, but first, our dream will come true. We’ll be pouring sparkling wine in the streets, thinking about celebration. Our mission to represent Ukrainian culture will endure.
We’ll get more opportunities with Ukrainian chefs worldwide, and eventually, I hope to open Mriya in Kyiv. When that happens, it means our dream has come true, and Ukrainians are living in their own country under a peaceful sky.
Comments