Plate It Forward Hospitality Group’s Kyiv Social welcomes back the community to their free monthly Sunday laneway party, Beers and Bangers on Sunday 8 September. The event will mark the reveal of the newly designed Grafton Lane, featuring four large portraits of team members that celebrate their past lives in Ukraine and their new beginnings in Australia.
Since opening last October, Kyiv Social has welcomed 25+ newly arrived Ukrainian refugees as employees, donated 2,125+ meals to orphan children in Kyiv, and supplied 10,462+ hours of training & employment provided to new Australian’s looking to start a better life.
To thank and celebrate these incredible members of the community, Plate it Forward will be displaying four of their staff who fled Ukraine from the war, on permanent 1 metre x 70cm high portraits within Grafton Lane, behind the heritage listed building in Broadway. The images will be revealed to the public on Sunday 8 September as part of Beers and Bangers.
The four staff who have been photographed include Karyna Sanzhar (Front of house), Maryna Tkachenko (Kitchen), Ruslana Cacka (Bar), and Viktoriia Bodnaruk (Kitchen, Sous Chef). The portraits highlight their lives before the war in Ukraine and their new starts in Australia, with each image highlighting a different story. Before moving across the other side of the world, their professions ranged from rhythmic gymnast, classical pianist, hospitality and journalist.
Beers and Bangers is a monthly celebration of everything the social enterprise represents – community coming together over food and a good party to celebrate positive and long-term change. From 1pm – late, Kyiv Social encourages the public to experience the huge progress from the Ukrainian hospitality team and their connection with Australian culture and the spreading of positive joy.
“A sense of connection is a core pillar of Kyiv Social”, notes Plate it Forward CEO and Founder, Shaun Christie-David. “Nearly a year after opening Kyiv Social we have seen such huge growth and positive changes in our staff. They love Sydney and have embraced the culture. It has been beautiful watching our guests every day connecting with our newly-arrived Ukrainian staff through a shared connection and love of food, culture and of course vodka.”
“Beers and Bangers will be a fun party that aims to strengthen this connection seeing our staff celebrating their culture, music and food they came up with – tunes provided by Ukrainian house DJs, beers by Young Henrys, and food will be delicious snacks inspired by traditional Ukrainian flavours.”
The menu at Beers and Bangers will feature Kyiv Social collaborator Luke Powell’s LP’s Quality Meats lightly smoked Beef & Pork Ukrainian Sausage, Ukrainian style gourmet hot dogs with horseradish mayo, Kyiv slaw and fried shallots, and Kyiv Sliders with Kyiv Schnitzel, herb & garlic Butter & cabbage slaw in a steamed milk bun.
Local independent brewers, Young Henrys will be serving the Kyiv Social exclusive “Beloved Ukrainian Lager” and community favourites in the outdoor laneway bar, going hand in hand with LP’s Bangers. On the decks, you can expect Ukraine DJs playing house music for a fun party atmosphere.
The September Beers and Bangers will also commemorate the opening of Grafton Lane as a permanent outdoor dining section. Kyiv Social will launch a new bar and food menu, with the famous Lobster Roll poached in Kyiv butter and served in the decadent pampushka with a celeriac slaw and sour cream & onion crisps, moving exclusively to the laneway.
Inside the restaurant, further design details have been incorporated to pay homage to the team and community. The indoor plants have been designed by one of Kyiv Social’s team members who is also a florist, Oksana to display traditional Ukrainian plants including sunflowers, poppy & wheat into flower arrangements throughout the whole venue.
Employing newly arrived refugees from Ukraine, Kyiv Social invites them to shine a positive light on the Ukrainian community from which it is inspired whilst engaging the people of Sydney to be a part of a movement for real change. The team at Kyiv Social and Plate it Forward want to welcome a sense of fun and community with the monthly Beers and Bangers, combing cultures and gathering over food, music and art.
Shaun Christie-David concludes, “The team at Kyiv Social epitomise hope, strength and the power of community getting together to support and give a hand up to people when they need it the most. We want the community to see the change and be the change the world needs right now and to leave lasting messages of hope we all need right now.”
Kyiv Social
202 Broadway, Chippendale NSW 2008, Australia
T: +61 422 859 320 | E: kyivsocial@plateitforward.org.au | Book Online
