A remarkable Ukrainian story of food, bravery, and hope in the time of war.
Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, journalist Felicity Spector has been documenting the extraordinary courage of the people who have stayed behind — the bakers, farmers, foragers, and cooks who have refused to let war extinguish their food culture.
Through intimate portraits and powerful reportage, she tells the story of a nation that feeds itself even under bombardment — finding joy, identity, and resistance in the simple, defiant act of making and sharing food.
Part food book, part war correspondence, part love letter to Ukraine — Bread and War is unlike anything else published about this conflict. A book about what people choose to hold onto when everything else is being taken from them.
Praise
"Extraordinary and deeply inspiring. Stories of kindness, bravery, and love shine from these pages." — Nigel Slater
"A brave, necessary account of resilience and skill and the power of bread and connection." — Olia Hercules, author of Mamushka
About the author
Felicity Spector is a journalist and food writer who has reported from Ukraine for more than a decade. Previously a senior producer at Channel 4 News, she has spent recent years documenting Ukraine's bakers, cooks, and food producers throughout the war — work that has appeared in The Guardian, Financial Times, and on her widely read social channels. She lives in London.
