Olia Hercules
Olia Hercules is a London-based Ukrainian chef, food writer and food stylist.
Early life
Olia Hercules was born in Kakhovka, Ukraine in 1984 to an Armenian family.[1][2][3] As well as being Ukrainian, she has Jewish, Bessarabian and Siberian roots.[4] Hercules moved to the UK at age 18 to study Italian and Politics at the University of Warwick.[5][6] Before earning an MA in Russian Translation, she moved to Cyprus for 5 years.[7]
Work
Olia Hercules began as a chef after completing a course at Leith's School of Food and Wine in 2010.[6][8] She wrote for Jamie's magazine and was a food stylist for various publications.[9] She then went on to work at the London restaurant, Ottolenghi's as a chef-de-partie.[7][10] She has appeared on Saturday Kitchen.[11][12] And now Sunday brunch (19/07/20)
Books
She has written the recipe book Mamushka which is a collection of Eastern European recipes. 2017 saw Hercules' second book published.[13]
- Mamushka: Recipes From Ukraine & Beyond (Octopus Publishing, 2015)[14]
- Kaukasis: The Cookbook – A Journey Through the Wild East (Octopus Publishing, 2017)[13]
- Summer Kitchens Inside Ukraine's Hidden Places of Cooking and Sanctuary (Weldon Owen ,July 14, 2020) url=https://www.amazon.ca/Summer-Kitchens-Ukraines-Cooking-Sanctuary/dp/1681885700/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1584717357&refinements=p_27%3AOlia+Hercules&s=books&sr=1-1,</ref><
Awards
- Observer's Rising Star in Food 2015
- Winner of Fortnum & Mason's Debut Food Book Award 2016
References
- Missing, Sophie (17 May 2015). "Olia Hercules and the food of warm Ukrainian summers". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
- "Rising star". The Guardian.
- Hercules, Olia (7 Aug 2017). "Dishes from the Black Sea and beyond: exclusive extract". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
- Hercules, Olia. Mamushka. Octopus. p. 6. ISBN 9781784720384.
- "Meet Olia". The Evening Standard. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
- "Interview". Retrieved 14 December 2016.
- Whaite, John. "Olia Hercules: the chef bringing East European food to our tables". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
- "Info". Retrieved 14 December 2016.
- "Style Department Represents Olia Hercules, Food Stylist". www.styledepartment.co.uk. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
- "Meet Olia H". The Evening Standard. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
- "24/12/2016, Saturday Kitchen - BBC One". BBC. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
- "Saturday Kitchen - BBC One". BBC. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
- "Mitchell Beazley to publish second cookbook by Olia Hercules". www.thebookseller.com. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
- Mamushka. Octopus Books. ISBN 9781784720384.