When Volodymyr Kostyuchenko first settled in Edmonton with his family after leaving his home in Western Ukraine, he quickly realized none of the food he’d had here quite replicated the authentic Ukrainian cuisine they’d left behind.
“There are some places that prepare similar foods, but it’s not quite the same,” he says.
Kostyuchenko worked as a lawyer in his home country before fleeing the ongoing war two-and-a-half years ago, but after a short time in Canada, he got the idea to create the taste he was missing. Last March, after more than a year of work, Kostyuchenko and his partner Andriy Ryba, opened Multicook Edmonton. The Terra Losa space serves as both a kitchen and storefront selling homemade, frozen Ukrainian dishes – from 18 varieties of perogies to zrazy (a stuffed potato dish), cabbage rolls and borscht.
You’d think the market would be saturated in Alberta, given our large Ukrainian population, but it turns out some of the recipes that have become local staples are “Alberta-fied” adaptations. Potato and cheddar perogies, for example? That doesn’t exist in Kostyuchenko’s homeland.
“I started searching for the history of the first Ukrainians who came to Canada,” says Kostyuchenko. “They were looking for cottage cheese, but it was hard to find. Cheddar cheese was the most popular at the time.” The same goes for cabbage rolls. While the Canadian-ized version is filled with rice, in Ukraine they’re filled with buckwheat.
Kostyuchenko has struck a balance in Multicook’s offerings. Many of the items are traditionally made – with Canadian ingredients and Alberta meat – but they’ve also added vegan and vegetarian versions to fit customers’ tastes. (They’re currently trying to find the right flour to make gluten-free perogies.)
“We have more than 100 dishes so everybody can choose what they want, what they like,” he adds.
That variety is on display in the store with rows of freezers filled with grab-and-go dishes. Behind the front counter, a large window offers a peek into the kitchen where, on the morning of Edify’s visit, a chef was carefully rolling out dough then filling rows of perogies. “We decided to make handmade meals here in an open kitchen so everybody can see how we cook,” Kostyuchenko says.
The small staff is made up entirely of Ukrainian immigrants who bring their own region’s traditions to the menu. “We’re making homemade dishes,” notes Kostyuchenko. “It made sense to hire people who are making the dishes at home.”
Many of the ingredients are local, but Kostyuchenko decided to import some condiments and ingredients from Ukraine. A shelf in one corner of the store is stocked with jars of pickles, horseradish and tomatoes with Ukrainian writing on the side.
“It’s a famous brand we like,” Kostyuchenko says. “It’s like a taste of home.”
While he had to leave his life as a lawyer behind, he says he’s enjoying running his new business. His dream is to open up additional storefronts in places like St. Albert, Sherwood Park and beyond. For now, the focus is on preparing for the Christmas rush.
“We just want to make comfort food for busy people.”
Multicook Edmonton
Terra Losa | 17204 95 Ave NW, Edmonton | multicookedmonton.ca
