A new partnership has Ukrainian newcomers using the kitchen of Edmonton’s oldest country bar on Saturday to prepare traditional dishes as a fundraiser.
The Cook County Parlor hosted a Free Shop for Newcomer Ukrainian volunteers who prepared fresh and frozen meals to sell and earn money to support their new life in Alberta.
“We’re the only kitchen in Edmonton that has 100 percent Ukrainian Newcomers,” explained Georgia Moore, co-founder of Ukrainian Newcomer Store.
“There are no Canadian employees there. They are all newly arrived Ukrainians who came in the last year.”
For many, finding full-time work may not be possible, Moore said, because of childcare issues or a lack of English.
“Every newcomer has a different experience and has different circumstances,” she said. “English is hard to learn and they work really, really hard, but it puts a lot of barriers in front of them and also in the jobs they really want to do.”
The newcomers prepared a mix of fresh and frozen dishes that can be ordered online, ranging from borscht, Ukrainian sausages and pies.
On Saturday, the group aimed to prepare at least 3,000 perogies.
Ukrainian newcomers prepare perogies at Cook County Saloon as a fundraiser to support their new life in Edmonton (CTV News Edmonton/Brandon Lynch).
One of those people in the kitchen was Natalia Bodnrchuk, who fled Ukraine while pregnant with twins and her other two children. Although she has no formal culinary training other than cooking with her family, she was excited about the opportunity to share her culture.
“It’s my first time in a kitchen like this,” Bodnrchuk said.
“We’re trying to serve Canadians, part of Ukraine, with Ukrainian dishes made by Ukrainians,” she added.
According to her, the day felt like home, once again cooking with her family to prepare for a big holiday meal.
“You feel your home through them,” Bodnrchuk said.
She had never seen a cowboy before and seeing the Cook County Saloon was a completely new experience.
“It was fun,” she added with a smile.
Matthew Potts, Cook County’s chef, said it was a no-brainer to offer his cuisine to the Ukrainian newcomers.
“Usually Saturday mornings I’m out here by myself getting ready,” Potts said. “It is very beautiful [today] they stand there in the back and hear them speak their native language and really enjoy it, they all have a good time making perogies and borscht.”
With files from Jessica Robb of CTV News Edmonton
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