Christina Bunchak said that she and her sister, Viktoria Vilnytska, have talked for years about opening up their own restaurant.
The Ukrainian natives worked respectively as a travel agent and a government employee. But they started planning for their own restaurant in the future, with Vilnystka wanting to turn her cooking hobby into a business.
They ended up fleeing the country after Russia invaded last year. But now they are getting a chance to make a dream come true with a pop-up restaurant at the Cachet Supper Club on Water Street, at Main Street, opening Jan. 16.
“We know there is a big community … who wants to eat, to try the national cuisine of Ukraine,” Bunchak said. “We are waiting for new customers, for Canadian people, for different communities, because we are going to cook with our heart.”
The sisters' restaurant will offer an array of Ukrainian dishes. It will be open for lunchtime, with potential for expansion depending on interest, Bunchak said. The pop-up will only be for a limited time, with the Cachet Supper Club still for sale.
The owner of the Cachet, Jennifer McLachlan, put it up for sale last spring as she moves on to new pursuits. With the restaurant in its previous form now folded and no buyer yet in place, McLachlan said she decided to allow others to use the space for pop-up opportunities.
It is a positive being able to offer that to the sisters, McLachlan said, despite not yet being able to find a buyer.
“There’s a silver lining to every unmet deadline."
The Ukrainian sisters fled the country after Russia invaded Ukraine last year with their children. They started working at Cachet as servers last August, with the restaurant also employing other recent Ukrainian immigrants.
“She gave us everything,” Bunchak said of McLachlan, describing the opportunity as a "miracle."
“I can’t believe it, and it will be good for us.”
The sisters’ journey to get to Canada and start a new life was inspiring, McLachlan said.
“They’ve changed my life in the way of showing me confidence. Inspiring me in hard work ethic and kindness,” she said. “Being a single mom as well, I can understand what it’s like to start your life just you, your sister and your kids.”
The sisters hope their food will appeal to both the Ukrainian and entire community. She described the restaurant as a way of showing appreciation.
“We want this place (to) be very cozy, and tasty,” she said. “We want to see a lot of Canadian people because all this time we worked with Canadian people … they are very kind as they support, they (are) always smiling, they always understand you. And so I want to open this restaurant. I want to say thank you.”
She said they hope that the restaurant can feel like a family home.
“It will be very tasty with our hearts, with our smile,” she said. “At home with family, we want to create that atmosphere in the cafe.”
