Why this perogy restaurant is bustling with community support

• Cecil’s hand makes about 800 perogies a day
• Community supported restaurant during pandemic
• Ukrainian business seeing support during conflict overseas

Whether it’s a worldwide pandemic or a nuclear power invading a restaurant’s home country, Kelowna is turning out in droves to support a local, family-run Ukrainian business.

Cecil’s Perogies Palace has operated since 1993, when it started out of the family home. Named after the former owner who passed away almost six years’ ago, his legacy lives on with his wife and grandson.

“We just are regular people like everybody else, just trying to make a living,” owner Darlene Warwaruk told Kelowna10. “It’s been good to us. So, we try to treat the customers the same way.”

She’s made perogies for 45 years and was married to Cecil for 40 of those. She mostly focuses her efforts on the back end of the restaurant, contributing to the 800 perogy a day tally.

Darlene did have Ukrainian in-laws living overseas but has lost connection as many of them have passed away. News of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is troubling none-the-less.

Cecil’s grandson Jonathan deals with front of house operations. His parents moved them to Toronto but upon hearing of his grandpa’s failing health, he returned to Kelowna to aid the family business.

Like at the dinner table, they try not to talk politics, but he inevitably hears news concerning the country of his grandfather’s heritage.

“Pretty scary stuff, pretty messed,” Jonathan, who is colloquially known as the ‘Perogy Prince,’ said. “The whole world’s been corrupted, right. It’s pretty crazy that a country like that is trying to take over a little country.”

Since the invasion, there’s been a sentiment in the community to offer support to local Ukrainian businesses. Cecil’s has been on the receiving end of that.

“Business is actually getting crazy. Ever since this [war] started, everybody wants to support Ukraine and any kind of Ukrainian store,” Jonathan said. “More people on Facebook and stuff are seeing this, so they want to come get some actual real perogies. It’s nice.”

It’s not the only time the community has come out in force to support the perogy empire.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the restaurant staffed six employees. Like many establishments, the pandemic proved to be a challenging time and their workforce was halved to three.

But Darlene said the community helped them get through it.

“We’ve been really lucky because we have a lot of people who come and support us all the time,” she said. “Plus, with all the construction going around, and COVID, they weren’t allowed to eat in the lunchroom. So, they did a lot of takeout. We owe a lot to the construction people.”

Both Jonathan and Darlene say the secret to a great perogy is that it must be handmade, which they pride themselves on. What they won’t say though, is what’s behind their secret sauce.