Roots & Routes Nourishing Diasporic Food Entrepreneurship
Saturday, 20 June 2026 at 10:30
Exeter will host Roots & Routes: Nourishing Diasporic Food Entrepreneurship, a one-day event bringing together diasporic food entrepreneurs, chefs, makers and cultural practitioners from across the South West.
Event details
Dear all
We’d love for you to join us at Roots & Routes — a two-day event celebrating food, storytelling, and migration.
Here’s a snapshot of what’s on (see posters attached for full details):
Friday 19th June
19:00–21:00 – Screening of Taste of Freedom. Ukraine, 2024 (Â鶹ֱ²¥, Alexander Building, Thornlea) followed by discussion.
Register here
Saturday 20th June (10:30–18:00)
10:30–11:00 – Arrival, coffee & marketplace
11:00–11:15 – Welcome
11:15–12:45 – Talks & panel sessions on migration, heritage, and community stories
12:45–13:45 – Lunch and marketplace
13:45–15:15 – Workshops, food culture sessions & conversations
15:15–15:30 – Refreshment break
15:30–17:00 – Further talks, tastings & knowledge sharing
17:00–18:00 – Closing reflections & networking
Alongside the programme, you can explore the food & coffee marketplace, take part in tastings, and connect with local producers and community groups.
Whether you drop in for a session or stay for the day, it’s a great chance to connect, learn, and share.
We’d love to see you there.
Featured Ukrainian Guests & Keynote Speakers
Olia Hercules
Chef • Food Writer • Cultural Storyteller
Olia Hercules is an internationally acclaimed Ukrainian chef, food writer and author whose work explores the deep connections between food, memory, migration and identity. Born in Ukraine and now based in the UK, Olia’s writing and cooking draw on Eastern European, Caucasian and Central Asian food traditions, reframing them through the lens of history, displacement and resilience.
She is the author of several award-winning cookbooks, including Mamushka, Kaukasis, Summer Kitchens and Home Food. Beyond recipes, Olia’s work acts as a form of cultural diplomacy, preserving endangered culinary traditions while bringing Ukrainian food culture into global conversation. Her latest book, Strong Roots is a powerful memoir of her family’s history over the last century, ‘an ode to the land, to ideas of home and belonging, and to family stories and recipes passed down the generations’.
Olia is also an outspoken advocate for Ukraine, using food as a powerful tool for storytelling, solidarity and cultural survival. In 2022, she co-founded the global initiative #CookForUkraine which has raised over 2 million pounds to date.
Vadym Granovskiy
Food Entrepreneur • Cultural Diplomat • Advocate for Ukrainian Makers
Vadym Granovskiy is a Ukrainian food entrepreneur, community organiser, and cultural diplomat working at the intersection of diaspora food production, small business development and cultural exchange. Born in Ukraine and now based in the UK, Vadym is an international Barista champion for both Ukraine and UK, founder of Coffee in Action (a Ukrainian frontline initiative), creator of the Flat Red (a unique Ukrainian cultural symbol), and cultural diplomat for Ukraine. Vadym is currently at work on a book about the interconnected histories of Ukraine and coffee.
With extensive experience supporting independent food makers, Vadym plays a key role in connecting Ukrainian producers, chefs and creatives with UK-based platforms and audiences. He is particularly interested in how food businesses can become vehicles for cultural continuity, economic resilience and ethical growth within displaced communities. Vadym brings a grounded, practical perspective to conversations about scaling, collaboration and sustaining food enterprises in the UK context.
Partners & Supporters
Devon Ukrainian Association • Diverse Devon Together • Exeter College hospitality • Â鶹ֱ²¥ Food Network • Â鶹ֱ²¥ Routes Network • Food Plymouth • Local food & community partners
For questions contact b.brown@exeter.ac.uk
Organiser
Exeter Food
Location
Exeter College (Hele Road Site)