Home and hope: Ukrainian refugees open bakery in Midland
Customers stand at the entrance of Chef Sergey’s Bakery at the Grand Opening in Midland, Michigan, Saturday, January 18, 2024. The exterior of the bakery stands out with its vibrant orange and aroma of fresh pastries. (CM-Life | Soli Gordon)
Editor's Note: This story was written by Masha Smahliuk and originally published at WCMU.com.
The smell of freshly brewed coffee and baked-from-scratch croissants invited over 300 Midlanders to visit the opening of Chef Sergey’s Bakery on Saturday, Jan. 18.
For Sergey Pokanevych, the chef and owner, this opening was his dream-come-true. His family started a new life in the United States after fleeing Ukraine after the Russian invasion. Now he is excited to share authentic European baked goods with a community that welcomed and supported them.
“I love people,” Sergey said. “I like to share good-quality product. That's very important for me.”
Chef Sergy Pokanevych, left, and Maga Miakieev, right, bring out freshly baked croissants at the Grand Opening of Chef Sergey’s Bakery in Midland, Michigan, Saturday, January 18, 2024. The bakery features berry and chocolate buns alongside five types of reduced-sugar desserts. (CM-Life | Soli Gordon)
Leaving everything behind
Sergey was a successful chef in Ukraine, with over 1 million followers on social media. He and his wife Christina Pokanevych owned five restaurants in their home city of Odesa.
“We had a successful life,” Christina said. “But the war made changes. And we had to leave our country, our home, close our business and start a new life in the U.S.”
Odesa is a port city located at the Black Sea in the south of Ukraine. It has been a regular target of Russian missiles and drones trying to destroy its civilian and port infrastructure, according to the New York Times.
On Feb. 24, 2022, when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Christina said she remembers waking up from the noise of the missile attacks and to their house shaking.
“Every day our son was saying, ‘Mom, Dad, when will we leave Ukraine? I’m scared,’” Christina said. “And when you wake up terrified from bombs, when your neighbors die near you, it is frightening.”
Christina said the family decided to close their restaurants and flee their war-torn home; choosing to find shelter in the United States. Christina said that’s because Americans are similar to Ukrainians, and they think America is the best country in the world.
The couple found American sponsors who helped them acquire a visa and hosted them for four months in Caro, Michigan, Christina said.
“They sheltered us as refugees, and we immediately felt their love,” Christina said. “I don’t have words to describe it. They took care of us as if we were family.”
After Sergey and Christina received their work permits, they moved to Midland to work at the Great Hall, a banquet and convention center, as a chef and marketing professional.
Christina Pokanevych, left, and Ryan Hanzek, right, talk to customers at Chef Sergey’s Bakery for the Grand Opening in Midland, Michigan, Saturday, January 18, 2024. (CM-Life | Soli Gordon)
Sergey said they always wanted to open their own restaurant, and found the perfect place for a bakery in Midland.
The couple met friends from Global Compassion Inc., a nonprofit in Midland, who helped them gather donations for their business. Christina said that the community has been donating anywhere from $5 to $50,000 to make this bakery happen.
New beginnings
Sergey takes pride in using high-quality ingredients and making all the baked goods from scratch. He said he wants to offer the community the best European tastes and quality.
“We didn’t use any preservatives, any chemical(s),” he said. “I use only natural product. It’s flour, water.
“That’s for me very important to share good quality product for this small town, Midland, and I would like to share with each one in America.”
On Chef Sergey’s Bakery menu, one can find a variety of breads, such as French baguettes and sourdough; croissants with different fillings; Ukrainian cake; and other exquisite desserts.
On the other side of the bakery, co-owner Natalia Iakovleva makes specialty European drinks. She also fled Ukraine with her husband because of the war. Iakovleva said Midland became their new home, and opening this bakery means giving back to their beloved community.
“It’s about this community,” she said. “It’s about our team. It’s about new life and it’s about our hope and our families, two families. And it’s my honor to serve this community.”
Christina Pokanevych hugs Kim Summers at the Grand Opening of Chef Sergey’s Bakery in Midland, Michigan, Saturday, January 18, 2024. Pokaneych is not only a baker she is the wife of Chef Sergey. (CM-Life | Soli Gordon)
Midland showed its love back. Chef Sergey’s Bakery sold out at 11 a.m. on opening day, moving over 1,000 baked goods.
Christine Perry and her daughter Genevieve ordered a Ukrainian cake at the opening. Christine said this Ukrainian small business is a great addition to Midland’s Ashman Circle, where it is located.
“I used to live in Germany and so I loved European bakery, pastry, all of it,” Perry said. “I'm excited to see with them coming from there and having all that knowledge how authentic it tastes.”
Iakovleva said for the future, the team hopes to offer over 1,000 different varieties of European desserts and breads. And Sergey said that his dream is to open 40 more bakeries across the United States.
