11/05/2026
"I started with Plate It Forward in June 2025 in the catering team, and pretty quickly I was able to step up and show what I could do as a Head Chef. When I first joined, I hadn’t actually mentioned that I’m Ukrainian, but that came out naturally when I started helping communicate with Ukrainian refugees and translating where needed, something that had been a real challenge before.
From there, I was given the opportunity to take on the role of Executive Chef for Kyiv Social, as well as working across the Sydney Swans account. That’s been a really meaningful experience for me. I’ve been able to reconnect with my childhood through food—bringing back dishes my Baba used to cook, whether it was something hearty for dinner or simple snacks after school.
At the same time, I’ve really enjoyed challenging those traditional recipes by giving them a modern twist—creating dishes that might not look like the classics, but still taste exactly like those childhood memories. It’s about respecting the flavour and emotion of the dish, while presenting it in a new and exciting way.
What’s made it even more special is the feedback from customers. Hearing things like “I haven’t tasted this since my childhood” or “this tastes like babusya” really hits home. It’s been incredibly rewarding to not only recreate those traditional dishes, but also reimagine them and share Ukrainian food with a wider audience. That’s something I’m really passionate about."
— Chef Raph on his time at Plate It Forward
