Food is an important aspect of culture and identity. It can be a powerful starting point for migrant women to share their cultural heritage and build connections with their local communities. The 3 KITCHENS project is an adult education initiative to empower migrant women in three key areas: volunteering, employment, and entrepreneurship. It offers a nurturing space where they can connect with their culinary heritage, acquire new skills, and gain confidence.
Irina and Svetlana live in Manorhamilton in Leitrim, and they moved here from Ukraine, and started the Ukrainian Bakery. Val met Irina at Manorhamilton Farmers Market and asked her a few questions:
Irina, when did you move to Ireland?
I moved to Ireland two years and six months ago.
And were you always cooking when you were in Ukraine or was it just when you came here?
In Ukraine we only cooked for our family. But in Ireland we prepare our traditional Ukrainian dishes for Irish people and Ukrainian people to buy.
I see that you’re at the Manorhamilton Farmers Market on a Friday and you’re also in the Sligo Farmers Market on a Saturday. And if people want to order from you, they can order directly as well?
Yes, of course. We take photos and videos for our Instagram and Facebook page, and a lot of people come to visit us every Friday in Manorhamilton, every Saturday in Sligo, and try some dishes. We have sweet and savoury dishes, very different.
The sweet dishes are Cinnabon with Philadelphia cheese, bread, sweet bread, which is like a brioche, and Ukrainian traditional bread. We have buns with dried apricot, raisins, and cranberries. Lemon cake, blackcurrant cake and for autumn we have a cake with apples and cinnamon.
Our savoury dishes are vegetarian pizza with feta cheese and aubergine, tomato and zucchini. And a quiche with meat and chicken.
Find the Ukrainian Bakery on social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090787135289
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ukrainian_bakery_ireland/
Discover more about the 3 Kitchens project on the website: https://3kitchens.eu/
