“A Ukrainian home is something you rebuild, again and again.”

For our fifth season, Ukrainian Spaces returns to its beginnings, revisiting six Ukrainians from the 2022 inaugural season to see how war, time, and responsibility have reshaped their lives. Across six episodes—fear, belonging, creation, resilience, love, and acceptance—our guests reflect on the past and write letters to their former selves. This season affirms that Ukraine’s story is best told by Ukrainians themselves.

In this Resilience episode of the new Ukrainian Spaces season, we speak with Olia Hercules, a Ukrainian-born celebrity chef and writer whose work goes far beyond food. Olia talks about family, memory, and what happens when history is erased and must be carried by people instead — as a form of Ukrainian resilience, tested by centuries of Ukrainian resistance to erasure.

Since her first appearance on the Ukrainian Spaces in 2022, Olia has started educating her large international audience about war crimes in Ukraine and daily terror Ukrainians have been enduring, but also about the richness of the Ukrainian culture and traditions — proving that even public figures outside politics can and should be using their platforms to stand up for their values, human dignity and justice. Departing from her usual bestselling cookbooks, Olia has also published “Strong Roots,” a family memoir shaped by generations of war, deportation, and exile. 

In this episode, Olia helps us understand Ukraine through one family’s experience and shows how survival is not only about enduring but also about continuing to love, remember, and rebuild.

Ukrainian Spaces is more than a podcast; it's a movement. It's about reclaiming the Ukrainian story, breaking free from outdated Ukrainian stereotypes, and understanding the complex roots of Ukraine's present and future. Together, we can unravel the threads of Ukrainian history and witness the unwavering spirit of a nation fighting for its right to exist.
SUPPORT: Ukrainian Spaces is a 100% independent, volunteer, and listener-supported initiative. Please ensure we can amplify more Ukrainian voices and decolonise more Ukraine conversations - become our Patreon sponsor or bring a friend if you already are (a free trial is available.)
GET FEATURED: send us a voicemail 

This season, Ukrainian Spaces returns in partnership with Ukrainska Pravda – one of Ukraine’s most trusted voices for truth and freedom. Stand with independent Ukrainian journalism. You can also make a donation through their website or join their Patreon community. Every contribution keeps the story alive.