Alex Yakutov

Alex Yakutov is probably one of the most well known faces among Ukrainian chefs, by virtue of his numerous television appearances.

He’s appeared on Hell’s Kitchen and in On Knives, so he’s a familiar sight to television viewers.

But first and foremost Alex is a chef – a graduate and ambassador of the Italian IFSE School, who started being interested in food at the tender age of 13.

He started life at a nautical school, but his love of cooking was never far away and while sailing

he helped the cook on the ship, catching fish and cooking various dishes. “

If I had a second chance to do it all over again, I would still be a chef,” he revealed. He worked his way up in the kitchen, learning from a French chef who not only inspired him but made him realise he needed some formal training.

He was eventually accepted by IFSE “I sold my car, I had some savings, I saved up more money and went to study there.” Some of his ambitions have been put on hold given the current unrest but when the time is right, he will continue to realise his ambitions.

“At the moment, we all understand that we need a victory, and when we have a victory, everything will be fine,” he said. “And when Ukrainian cuisine is known all over the world, the chefs will have achieved their victory.”