Credit: Ali Sahib, Chronicle.lu

Ukrainian refugees who were forced to flee their homeland due to Russia's full-scale invasion continue to rebuild their lives and establish businesses in Luxembourg; Chronicle.lu explores their experiences and challenges in this series.

The Komlyk family, composed of 36-year-old Valeriy and 27-year-old Valeriia, from the Ukrainian city of Poltava, were forced to leave their homeland due to Russia's military aggression. On 14 February 2025, they opened a restaurant in Nospelt in south-western Luxembourg. They shared their decision to take this step and their journey towards establishing their own business in an interview with Chronicle.lu.

Valeriia was the first to arrive in the Grand Duchy with their two children, having been invited by relatives who had already been living in Luxembourg for some time. In Ukraine, she worked in a pastry shop, while her husband was involved in providing construction-related services. He arrived in Luxembourg in March 2023 and shortly after, their family grew even larger with the birth of their son. Starting their own business in a new country had not been part of their plans until their landlords asked if they knew anyone interested in opening a restaurant. "We had considered opening our own establishment in Ukraine, but not something as large as a restaurant. Perhaps a bakery, as my wife enjoys making sweets and has experience in this field. […] Here, we initially thought about something related to construction since I have been in this field all my life, but after attending various meetings, we realised that it would be very difficult," said Valeriy.

The idea of opening a restaurant emerged at the end of 2023 when the Marcel Biver family, who had initially provided free accommodation for Valeriia and her children through the Red Cross during their first months in Luxembourg and later became their landlords, began searching for individuals interested in managing the business at their restaurant, Café Brasserie Armes. Valeriia was initially hesitant to take on the challenge: “I worked in a kitchen in Ukraine, so I know what it’s like. And that was just working in the kitchen without any other responsibilities. When you are managing everything, it is an entirely different story.”

However, her husband assured her that such an opportunity might not come again and they decided to open their own establishment serving Ukrainian cuisine. “We knew that there was no Ukrainian restaurant in Luxembourg and that there had never been one. I said it was a good idea to finally make it happen,” continued Valeriy.

The restaurant is a family-run establishment that was passed down to the current owner, Marcel Biver, from his father. Valeriia and Valeriy engaged in discussions about redesigning the venue to reflect the atmosphere of Ukrainian restaurants. The design proposal from a Poltava-based designer was well received by the owners and the changes were approved. “We kept many things as they were, including the name ‘Armes’. Although in French it translates to ‘weapons’, that was not the intended meaning. It is actually connected to the name of the owner’s father, Armand,” noted the Komlyks.

Without successfully completing this training course, the Komlyk family would not have been able to obtain a licence to sell alcohol in the Grand Duchy. According to Valeriy, compared to Ukraine, starting a business in Luxembourg is somewhat more challenging as "the education must be specifically relevant to the field." So far, the owners of the Ukrainian restaurant have not had any experience with regulatory inspections but have heard positive feedback about cooperation with the authorities. "We strive to comply with all regulations and maintain proper documentation to ensure there are no issues. Of course, if we receive an inspection and they point out any shortcomings, we will address them," noted Valeriia.

The Komlyk family now live and work in the same building. Their home is located in the space above the restaurant, which Valeriy also helped renovate. Just below, on the ground floor, they welcome guests to their establishment. “We currently have a fellow Ukrainian working in our kitchen. We specifically wanted someone from our own country because it makes communication easier, especially since I also work in the kitchen. In the dining area, we have a Ukrainian waitress who speaks French. So, our team consists of me, my husband, our chef and our waitress. At times, my parents and my husband’s mother also help out - they do a lot of work, whether it’s looking after the children or assisting in the kitchen with cleaning, tasks that a hostess would typically handle. For now, we haven’t hired anyone for this role because we’re still figuring out how things will go in the future,” explained Valeriia.

"One of our signature products is Ukrainian ‘Khrinovukha’. It is made with vodka available in Europe, to which we add Ukrainian horseradish and honey. It pairs perfectly with Ukrainian ‘salo’ [pork dish]. This is what makes it unique," said Valeriy. "These are simple, traditional Ukrainian products, but when you are abroad, you don’t always have the opportunity to enjoy them. Our idea is that people who love Ukrainian cuisine can come here and feel at home," added Valeriia.

Among the traditional Ukrainian dishes offered at “Armes” are Ukrainian tomato soup “Borsch”, Chicken Kyiv with mashed potatoes, steamed dumplings “Galushky”, Ukrainian dumplings “Varenyky”, Ukrainian potato fritters “Deruny” and traditional Ukrainian polenta “Banosh”.

Valeriia recalled the overwhelming response on their opening day, on Friday 14 February 2025, when a large number of guests visited the restaurant. “On our first day, we were completely overwhelmed because so many people came. We simply didn’t expect it. Our table reservation announcement played a trick on us, as both Ukrainians and locals showed up. […] At our biggest table, which is meant for five guests, we had fifteen instead. But after that Friday, nothing scares us anymore,” she shared.

In terms of advice, the Komlyk family encouraged all Ukrainians in Luxembourg not to be afraid, not to give up on the idea of starting a business, and not to be swayed by others’ opinions, but most importantly, to believe in what they do.

IK