Confronting war, young Ukrainians find new purpose
Ukrainian cook Diana Khalilova is in her happy place, working her wizardry in the kitchen to delight the taste buds of hungry friends.
But she’s not at the food and wine bistro where she normally works – it closed when Russia invaded Ukraine in late February. Instead, the young cook is in a cramped kitchen, after curfew, throwing together a bulgur risotto for her 20-something housemates brought together by war.
The tools of flavor are the same: pouches of pre-prepped delicacies brought home from the restaurant to eat so they don’t spoil, such as anchovy and shredded onion paste, wild mushrooms, and salty goat pecorino cheese.
As snow falls outside, the thick-walled 150-year-old apartment – with its high ceilings and artistic touches (an illustrator and musicians live here
