Chefs Unite for Ukraine
London chefs, food & drink suppliers and restaurants have all joined the effort to raise funds for beleaguered Ukraine since the recent Russian invasion.
Leading the way is Ukrainian bar Pinch in Fitzrovia, which has a White Ukrainian cocktail on its menu, and is donating 15% of its total profits to the Ukrainian armed forces.
Dark Arts coffee has a new blend aptly called “Russian Warship Go F**K Yourself” and is giving 20% of proceeds to help support those affected.
Jesse Dunford Wood’s Parlour and 6 Portland Place are donating profits from their legendary Chicken Kyiv. He told The Chefs’ Forum: “Chicken Kyiv, or Kiev as it is formerly known, has been our number one seller for the last 12 years since I went to Kyiv to research its origins in 2010. It’s our pleasure to help those in need at this time.”
Following suit is Il Portico in Kensington which has put Chicken Kyiv back on the menu for the first time in four decades. £5 of the £15 price is destined for Ukraine with the same donation being given by L’Escargot in Soho for its Kyiv which is served with a Ukrainian regional potato cake called deruny
The restaurant group Drake & Morgan are raising money for The Red Cross. Rebecca Mascarenhas and chef Phil Howard are hosting dinners on March 14 at Elystan Street, Church Road, Kitchen W8, Home SW15 and Flour + Water to raise money.
Galvin La Chapelle & its next door Bistro & Bar are adding £1 onto bills throughout March to go to Action Against Hunger which has an urgent appeal for Ukraine. The same is happening at Hawksmoor with the steak group matching the donations itself to double up.
Finally, a #cookforukraine campaign on GoFundMe run by Instagrammers Clerkenwell Boy & Layla Yarjani of NEXTGen London has teamed up with food writers Alissa Timoshkina and Olia Hercules plus friends. They’ve raised over £60,000 since the crisis in Ukraine began.