We, the creators of Kompot Kitchen, are immigrants from Ukraine. Specifically Kharkiv. The picture attached to this blog post is our cottage, located in a forest area between Kharkiv and Merefa. 

We grew up with our families cooking simple, yet exceptionally nutritious and healthy meals for us. Meals which mostly consisted of home grown ingredients, by our families, on our own lands. We played outdoors, climbed trees, ran around in between high rise post soviet union courtyards, and knew true freedom. We did not have much, by today's standards we were poorer than poor. But it did not matter to us. Love was abundant and apparent, community was strong, relationships were real.

Then it all changed. For some at a slightly different time, or due to different circumstances, but it changed all the same. We left Kharkiv. We had to take whatever little we could, forgetting everything else behind, and travel across the globe to Ottawa, Canada. For some of us, this journey took a few days. For others, it took multiple years, and very lengthy stops along the way. Regardless, at least for the Kompot Kitchen group, the origin and the destination were exact same. Kharkiv -> Ottawa.

Nothing here is new, humans continuously migrate through out history. Some running away from things, others running towards. Only one truth remains - nothing after this migration is ever the same. It always involves learning new surroundings, new customs, very often new languages. It always involves gathering new social groups, coming up with new ways to provide for ourselves, assimilating within our new communities.

And the problems are always similar. The questions are all the same - how do I fit in? Where do I go in my off hours? How do I find a way to feel similarly to how I used to, back then?

Some of us find answers in new friends and changes of habits, others find answers in keeping in touch with old friends, and sticking to old habits, some do both. But regardless of the strategy each one of us picks on an individual level, one thing remains universal - we all remain with these needs - real relationships, abundant love, respect, and a strong sense of belonging. Moreover, in my observation, we all crave the food we used to eat back then, though each one of us has different preferences.

I personally tried many strategies to solve these needs and cravings. 
At first, I assimilated myself within the local culture fully, I attempted to forget my origins, my customs, my previous ways of life, truly embracing the "melting pot" idea. I found myself dissatisfied. I came here too late - age 16, and none of the new friends I ended up accumulating - though they were countless, abundant, and great - seemed to consider me equals to them. I was always a second thought, a stranger, though (seemingly) friendly and fun, never quite a primary citizen. The social groups I ended up joining and becoming a part of, never quite took me in, in full. It was not all bad, countless positive outcomes manifested as well; I observed a lot, met many incredible people, saw many different ways of life, and learned many approaches and philosophies.

Then I attempted to go back to my roots. My professional career has been very fortunate from the start, and very quickly I gathered an ability to travel back to Ukraine, to Kharkiv, whenever I wanted. I took advantage of that. I went to help my babushka, my biological father, his new family, and the community of cottage farmers I grew up in. Over 3 years of going back, I visited the old places I used to play at, I ate the food I used to eat, I spoke to the people and the groups I used to speak to. Here again, I found myself dissatisfied. After over 20 years, we grew apart. I was no longer one of them, either. A new breed, a different folk, a Canadian-Ukrainian, if you will. I had been re-institutionalized. Once again, however, many positive outcomes became to be; I met my current girlfriend, Lillia. I started building an eco farm where my old cottage used to be, I started looking forward to the future, with long term plans.

Then the Ukraine - Russia war happened. I went to Kharkiv once again, helped however I could, but I watched my homeland get torn apart. Over 30% of the people in Kharkiv fled, all future plans got erased, at least in the near and immediate future.
When I returned to Ottawa, I saw how many refugees had come here, as well. I was positively surprised, though I felt terribly for Ukraine as a whole, as I was not sure how many of these refugees will ever return.
 
Today, just a little over a year later, I can see you all around me. I hear you speak my mother's tongue every day; outside in malls, in shops, on the sidewalks. I see countless online posts, discussions, initiatives. People are offering to cook authentic food, offering each other help, support, express desire of gathering, or belonging and community. I feel bittersweet. I am happy, you are here - with me. I am grateful for the opportunities you are given, but I know the hardships. I know the pains that are about to come, I see the aspirations and desires, but I anticipate similar feelings of disappointment, of nostalgia, and I can only hope to be of service.

Welcome friends. I am sorry for the circumstances under which some of you came here, but am grateful to see you, neither the less. This is a land of possibilities, and with the right tools and right knowledge, a lot is possible. I wish you to make the best of it.

Now back to Kompot.

Shifting gears a little bit, a few months ago Lillia, her mother (who came here as part of the wave of refugees) and I went to Montreal to spend a day walking around the city. We ate some good food, visited incredible cultural landmarks, saw and experienced bits of Canadian history. Then we were driving back, and started discussing some of the things I mentioned above. The amount of Ukrainian immigrants in Ottawa, and seemingly in Montreal, their needs, desires, how we could be of service. At some point through out our conversation a topic came up - how come there is no Ukrainian, or even generic Slavic restaurant in Ottawa? Surely, it would have been great for everyone to have a chance to gather together in a central place, consistently. Feel the support and belonging of one another, share stories, eat the food we are all so accustomed to, experience a little bit of home, together. 

At this point, within an hour's time, we had a plan - while building an entire restaurant overnight would be a bit hasty, a wise first step could be to set up a catering business - food delivery from kitchen to customer's door. Official, legit, tax paying. This would enable us to gather sentiment, get to know the community better, employ some folks, and see where people are settling. We would get the word out, with a little bit of time and some savings we would be in a good position to open an official location where people could gather. We would know exactly what services to provide, and we could lead by example for all the other families and micro communities trying to see how to get a footing in this Canadian landscape. 

And so Kompot was born. I sat down doing what I know best - writing code, this website. Lillia and her Mom sourced ingredients, cooked dishes, took pictures, and hypothesized strategies. A baby step at a time, slowly but surely, we got to now. Today we have an extensive, yet highly focused authentic Menu offering. We are a registered, legal business on both the provincial and federal level. We went through official Ontario Food Handling certification, and are in the final steps to obtain the necessary municipal permits with the City of Ottawa. we are putting final touches on our website, finalizing and triple testing our process. We hope to open really soon.

Just like that. Years of frustration, a moment of inspiration, and instant action without hesitation, directed at an appropriate venue, and a concept is born.
I really hope we can build it into our vision, I really hope it helps the new wave of Ukrainian Diaspora here in Ottawa. 
I pray no one ever feels what I felt during my first years here.

Let's do this, friends. Let's build ourselves up, chins up high, united, and proud. 
We are Ukraine.