Marina, a member of the North Lancashire Food & Chefs Network, shares her story of coming to the UK and working hard to start an independent food business.
“My name is Marina Tcaci. I inherited my passion for tasty and healthy food from my mother, and before I came to the UK, I used to run a successful catering business in Ukraine. I’m excited to introduce you to my new takeaway business, Taste of Life. I specialise in typical Ukrainian food, crafted with care and passion.
I’m from the Republic of Moldova, and my husband is Ukrainian, and after my first son was born we decided to move to Ukraine together to live there. When my daughter was born ten years ago, I quit my full-time job, but I wanted to earn some extra income because what my husband was earning wasn’t enough. And I had a hobby – cooking!
So I started to offer my services to a few people, and they liked it and recommended me to others. Then it started to grow, and I started catering for events and also cooked for families.
When I came here – you know why I’m here… my husband and son remained in Ukraine, because the men are not allowed to leave the country. But me and my daughter, to be honest we were very scared. It’s really very scary. So the two of us are here now.
We had a very difficult time when we arrived, but I was lucky to find a job in a cafe kitchen where the people are very nice, and I found a flat for ourselves. We are incredibly grateful for the warmth and generosity we have received here.
I would love to become independent, to afford the rent and to support my growing daughter. And I found that sometimes when you keep yourself busy life is easier.
A friend encouraged me to start a small food business, and so here we are!
Ukrainian food is very different, and at the beginning, I offered Mediterranean and European food. But then we thought: Food from other places is very popular here, why not give it a try with pure Ukrainian cuisine!
We make Vareniki, which are dumplings filled with various things. We will use local and seasonal ingredients as much as possible and we’re going to offer vegetarian alternatives for all dishes as well, for example with spinach, kale, potatoes, feta or tofu. We also make Nalesniki, a Ukrainian version of crêpes, pickled salads and might add Borschtsch to the menu.
My philosophy is simple: I treat my customers the way I want to be treated, by providing fresh, high-quality meals that nourish the body and soul.
From next week, people will be able to see our new menu on our Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp group and Google Maps. Orders can be placed through food delivery apps or collected from Lucy Street, Lancaster, every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening.
We look forward to serving you!“
