When a passion for one’s craft becomes a business, and Ukrainian cuisine serves as a bridge between people and home.
Moving to another country always begins with the unknown. New rules, a new language, a new society. But even thousands of kilometers away from their native land, people continue to search for what reminds them of home: familiar tastes, traditions, and a sense of warmth.
This is exactly how the story of Valentyna Makarchuk began—a Ukrainian woman who managed to turn her love for cooking into a successful business in Denmark and create a brand that is well-known today by Ukrainians across the country.
Valentyna is the founder and owner of Middag på Ukrainsk, a company specializing in preparing Ukrainian dishes to order: from homemade semi-finished products to full-service banquets.
But her business is about much more than just food.
“Through my dishes, I pass on a piece of home, warmth, and culture. For many of my clients, it’s not just an order—it’s an emotion, a memory, and a feeling of belonging while far from home,” says Valentyna.
From “Someday” to Her Own Business
Like many Ukrainian women who found themselves abroad, Valentyna worked for a while where she was needed, rather than where she truly felt in her element.
“At some point, I realized: either I try to create something of my own, or I stay in a constant state of ‘someday.’ Drifting with the flow, going to work, and counting the days until vacation.”
It was then that she decided to stop putting herself on hold.
Without a large starting capital, without guarantees of success, but with a love for what she does best, she began her entrepreneurial journey.
The first step was small orders. Then, there were more and more of them.
Thus, the company Middag på Ukrainsk was born.
The Hardest Part—Starting from Scratch
Often, when talking about opening a business in another country, people mention documents, taxes, or bureaucracy. However, for Valentyna, the greatest challenge turned out to be something else entirely.
“The hardest part is the feeling that you are starting from zero. A different country, different traditions, different rules. No one knows you, there are no familiar connections, and trust must be built literally from the very first client.”
Internal doubts were added to this.
Do people need this? Will it work? Can
Ukrainian cuisine find its place in Denmark?
These are the questions that most often remain behind the scenes of success stories.
But every entrepreneur goes through them.
Business is Built on Trust
Today, Valentyna works with orders of various scales—from family celebrations to large banquets and public events.
However, the secret of her success remains unchanged.
Quality. Care. Responsibility.
“I treated every order as if it were something very important. Because it was. And it remains so to this day.”
The first clients came through recommendations. Then, they started recommending her to others.
Word of mouth became the best advertisement for the business.
“When you are recommended, it means you are doing something truly well.”
Today, many clients return again and again, trusting Valentyna with their most important family events and celebrations.
When You Want to Give Up
In any entrepreneurial story, there are moments rarely spoken about from the stage.
Moments of exhaustion.
Fear.
Doubts.
It was the same for Valentyna.
“There were periods when I wanted to stop everything. When doubts appeared about whether I needed it at all.”
In those moments, her family became her greatest support.
“My husband always chased away my bad thoughts.”
And also—people.
Clients who said thank you.
Customers who returned.
Feedback that reminded her why it all started.
“When you see that your work brings people joy, it holds you up very strongly.”
Don’t Wait for the Perfect Moment
Looking back, Valentyna says that one of the most important lessons was the realization: you don’t need to strive for perfection before the start.
“I wanted to do everything perfectly from the very beginning. But I realized that business is a process. You don’t need to wait for the perfect moment. It is important to just start.”
That is why her advice to women who are just thinking about their own business sounds especially sincere:
“Fear will always be there—that’s normal. But if you have a feeling that this is yours, it’s worth a try. In small steps, without pressure, but moving forward. People regret not their mistakes, but the fact that they never tried.”
Being a Woman Who Creates
For Valentyna, entrepreneurship is not just about profit or professional fulfillment.
It’s about freedom.
About the right to create your own life.
About the opportunity to be yourself.
“Being a woman who creates her own business today is about the freedom to be yourself. About the opportunity to create something of your own, to put meaning into your work, and not to depend on someone else’s scenarios.”
She is convinced that inner strength grows along with the business.
Quiet.
Genuine.
The kind that allows you to move forward even when it’s scary.
“The feeling that you are needed by people with your business gives you the confidence to go forward and the understanding that you have fulfilled yourself.”
A Story That Inspires
In March 2026, Valentyna Makarchuk became one of the speakers during the grand opening of the Business Woman Denmark representative office and a business forum for Ukrainian women in Denmark, where she shared her own experience of creating a business in emigration.
Her story is not just a story about Ukrainian cuisine.
It is a story about the courage to start from scratch.
About believing in yourself.
About the love for a craft that over time turns into a successful business.
And about the fact that even far from home, you can create something special—something that gives people warmth, unites the community, and reminds them of Ukraine.
Valentyna Makarchuk proves: sometimes great stories begin with a small decision—to stop putting your life on hold.
Read also: “The Greeks Chose Ukraine”: The “Panair” Festival of Greek Culture Took Place in Kyiv
Author: Alla Kuchans
Photo: from the archive of heroine