Page 49 - 01-Jan-Feb-2025

JorgiaMoore MooreEmerging Leader
When Russians invaded Ukraine in February
2022, Jorgia Moore heard from family friends
who were fleeing the violence. One left her home so
quickly, she forgot to bring underwear; another was
sleeping on her jacket on the ground.
“I felt so helpless, and did not know what to do
to help,” says Moore. But she quickly came up with
a crisis response plan along with her mom, Janice
Krissa. The co-founders opened the Free Store for
Ukrainian Newcomers in April the same year, where
they’ve since helped over 20,000 newcomers with
items from housewares to diapers to clothing.
Many of the Ukrainian clients would return as
volunteers and they were constantly hearing people
talking about their love for perogies.
“The thing that we noticed with the newcomers
helping at the free store is that they couldn’t find
employment, because they didn’t know English,”
says Moore. So, the idea of creating jobs for those
newcomers was appealing.
Moore had no experience with food services,
aside from a server job while she was in school. But,
again, with her mom, she was determined to start
a whole new venture to help those affected by the
war even further. That idea morphed into Don’ya
Ukraine’s Kitchen, where newcomers craft foods
from their home country.
The kitchen gives them not just needed employ-
ment, but a community full of understanding and
support as they all work towards permanent resi-
dency, she says.
“So, if they worked with Canadians, and some-
thing bad happens back home, they’d have to put on
a face, right? But here, they don’t have to because
everyone understands. They can cry or talk about it,”
says Moore.
The restaurant’s old kitchen manager told Moore
she has more friends now in Canada than she did in
Ukraine thanks to her time with the kitchen.
The business initially started at the Cook County
Saloon, where Cree Chef Matthew Potts welcomed
everyone in.
“I’ve always loved having a culture and that
community and an affinity to try to preserve that
for all groups, which is why launching with a First
Nations chef was so important,” says Moore.
That first day, the employees were speaking and
singing in their language, and Moore apologized to
Potts, thinking it may feel awkward not to under-
stand what was going on.
Moore says that Potts encouraged the use of
Ukrainian, noting that Indigenous languages have
been stripped away — and that he didn’t have Cree
language skills.
In the company’s first 30 hours, the kitchen
generated $30,000 in revenue.
“We just had to stop and cut it off. That’s a lot of
perogies,” Moore laughs.
Potts and Edmonton chef Brad Smoliak men-
tored the employees, and in June of 2023, the com-
pany moved into a new location on Fort Road. Now,
its food is found not just at the restaurant, but it
also has partnerships with several retail chains,
along with other restaurants, and cafes.
“I never expected to be in food service, but when
there’s a passion you figure it out. I’ve learned about
packaging, and bar codes; I’m grateful for the oppor-
tunity,” Moore says.
Moore is a third generation Canadian with a
Ukrainian heritage; she started Ukrainian immersion
school and Ukrainian dance in preschool. And she
continues to dance semi-professionally for an en-
semble that raises money for Ukrainian initiatives.
But even with all that love and knowledge of
the Ukrainian culture, she’s often surprised by
the unique creations that flow from the Don’ya
kitchen. While there are the traditional favourites,
there are also unique dishes such as the sweet
nalysnyky (rolled crepes) that Moore had never
experienced before.
Many of the employees of the restaurant noticed
that most companies featuring Ukrainian food have
the word Baba (grandma) featured prominently
in the names. Even though Alberta has had a large
Ukrainian population for decades, Ukrainian food is
generally associated with the older generation.
But Moore wants to change that. Don’ya means
“daughter” and is full of modern tastes that are
completely handmade, without preservatives, just
like you’d find in Ukraine.
“This is one of the largest immigrations in
Canadian history, so we want to put this culture
on the map. Obviously, it’s something awful that
started this; but it’s nice something that’s peaceful
and beautiful gets to come out of it.”
by Caroline Barlott
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