A Ukrainian cuisine restaurant has been included in the recommendations of the most influential gastronomic guide, the MICHELIN Guide, for the first time. According to Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the restaurant in question is Anelya in Chicago.
As reported by the MFA, in 2023, the restaurant owner and chef, Johnny Clark, visited Kharkiv for the first time, where his grandmother, Anelya Ochotynska, was born. This trip inspired him to open a restaurant named in her honor, aimed at promoting both traditional and modern Ukrainian culinary traditions in the U.S.
The restaurant, which opened in October of last year, specializes in contemporary Ukrainian cuisine, blending tradition with modern culinary styles. Among the main dishes are borscht, varenyky, noodles, Poltava dumplings, stuffed cabbage rolls, banosh, pampushky, and more. For dessert, guests can enjoy Kyiv cake, ryazhenka, or an exotic Napoleon with black tea cream.
In a comment to Chicago Global, Johnny Clark mentioned that he considers his restaurant a “political statement” to the world, emphasizing that Ukrainian cuisine is “not just Russian with a twist” and that it deserves its own Michelin star.
The Michelin Guide is an authoritative restaurant and hotel directory published by the Michelin company. It provides recommendations for restaurants and hotels, also evaluating them using a star rating system. The guide is known for its strict and anonymous evaluation process, making it one of the most respected and influential directories in the world.
Earlier, UNIAN reported on where to find the best burger in the world. According to the “Michelin Guide of Burgers,” the title of the world’s best burger in 2024 was awarded to the chain of seven restaurants, Hundred Burgers, from Spain, with four restaurants in Valencia and three in Madrid. The restaurant gained recognition for its 120-day aged beef, described as “melt-in-your-mouth” and “super crispy” bacon.
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