Dining for Ukraine
Castro Valley Chef, Igor Breyman, a culinary professional with extensive experience as an instructor, private chef, and caterer cooked up a gorgeous three course meal this past Sunday in support of his sister’s recently launched nonprofit organization OurBorsch.
Both he and his sister, Helen Nesteruk, were born in Odessa, Ukraine. They emigrated to the US, and grew up in Castro Valley, but retain deep ties to family and friends in their homeland.
As the world watches in horror at the atrocities and humanitarian crisis caused by the Russian invasion, his family is working tirelessly to find ways to help Odessa residents who are struggling to get access to food, goods, and services they desperately need. The recently launched nonprofit, Our Borsch, is a grassroots organization that is well-positioned in Ukraine to get aid directly into the hands of Ukrainians. The group helsp mobilize their existing network of on-the-ground volunteers to facilitate delivery, fund humanitarian aid, and fulfill projects that create a meaningful impact on the lives of the Ukrainian people and the rebuilding process.
The dinner was a sold out affair that drew in 70 supporters of the cause who were treated to a modern take on traditional Ukrainian fare, including options like Ukrainian Fur Coat Salad, Oxtail beef borscht, 3-day brined game hen, and Ukrainian Burnt Cheesecake for dessert.
During the meal, diners were introduced to Chef Igor, and his sister Helen, who described the importance of the work they are undertaking and offered guests a direct connection to the people of Ukraine and showcased both their resilience and devastation. They also reiterated how this crisis will be ongoing for years to come and so will the need to provide critical support.
Between the meal itself, silent auction items, and direct donations collected that night; over $9,000 was raised for the group.
The evening was supported by a network of Castro Valley Marketplace vendors who donated ingredients, product, time, support, and event space to make the evening possible.
As a homegrown organization with personal connections to the Marketplace, and seeing the immense success of this event, plans are already underway to host future events in support of Ukrianians and OurBorsch.
To learn more about the group and to support them please visit their website at OurBorsch.org
