Family and tradition at heart of Saskatoon perogy shop
Many workers at Baba's Homestyle Perogies immigrated to Canada from Ukraine
The people who help put perogies on the tables of many Saskatoon families have become a unit themselves.
"We like working together. It's a family," Oksana Plesovskykh, one of the employees of Baba's Homestyle Perogies, told CBC News.
Christmas is a busy time of year for the business, which began more than 30 years ago. It is now run by Rob Engel and his family.
"I always thought Ukrainian culture and Ukrainian food was really exciting. So when the opportunity came up for our family to take over at Baba's Homestyle Perogies, my reaction was an immediate yes."
When they first took over the business, Engel said there were about six or eight staff. Eleven years later, they now have nearly 20 people who help make perogies, cabbage rolls and borscht by hand.
A Ukrainian tradition in a new country
Oksana Plesovskykh came to Canada from the Ukraine with her husband and daughter in 2007. When the family moved to Saskatoon the following year, another Ukrainian family told Plesovskykh about the perogy shop.
It was Plesovskykh's first job in Saskatoon, which she continues today.
"I'm really happy working here," Plesovskykh said.
What may be surprising to some is that Plesovskykh had never made perogies before working in the Saskatoon store. After learning the right shape and weight, Plesovskykh said she can pinch the perogies fast now.
Engel said more than half of the workers who prepare items at his shop immigrated from Ukraine.
Kristina Golubyeva came to Canada when she was 10. Now 20 years old, Golubyeva recalls feeling broken when she left her home in Ukraine. That has changed.
"I say to everyone, Ukraine is my homeland but Canada is my home."
When Golubyeva finished high school, she wasn't sure what she wanted to do. That's when her mother suggested she get a job at Baba's.
Now Golubyeva is studying to become a police officer, but she still works at the shop one day a week.
"I don't treat it like work," Golubyeva said.
Tradition in the name
Engel said there's no real secret to their perogy recipe.
"Our recipes are not that different than anybody's own baba would make in their own kitchen."
Engel said that some people who come through the store don't know that Baba is the Ukrainian word for Grandma. He added that keeping "Baba" in the store's name was important when his family took over, as it was important to the tradition of the food.
With files from CBC's Victoria Dinh