A would-be Ukrainian priest turned award-winning pizza chef on the Costa del Sol

In the 1990s Vasyl Nepeliak was close to graduating from university in western Ukraine where he studied theology. However he was unable to realise his religious aspirations to join the priesthood because the economic situation in Ukraine back then forced him to go abroad to Spain.

Now, three decades on, he has just been voted one of the top four food and drink businesses in the eastern Costa del Sol resort of Torrox.

"I didn't come to Spain to loiter and laze in the sun. Nor could I afford to indulge in the great local food and wine. I needed a job and I was happy to find two jobs. I got a good start in Frigiliana. I really enjoyed baking bread and being part of the Spanish staff who also helped me to learn Spanish. My English definitely improved while I worked in the home of the English couple. Robert and Alison were very kind to me and they ended up being like family," Vasyl told SUR in English.

It wasn't long before Vasyl had a family of his own. He met Lesya Cherkes, a Ukrainian girl, on the Costa del Sol who had also come to Spain in search of work.

Their working hours didn't coincide and didn't allow for the couple to spend much time together. One of the solutions was to start their own business and work together – side by side. By 2016, both Vasyl and Lesya had gained experience in the restaurant business and they took the decision to open a pizzeria.

Offering pizzas on the Costa del Sol, where there are many pizzerias owned by Italians, appeared to not be an easy mission for the Ukrainian beginners but Vasyl and Lesya understood this.

"Lesya and I decided to open a low-cost pizzeria where pizza would be inexpensive and that everyone - from students to pensioners - could afford it. I knew from my experience with local restaurants that there are some fixed costs and trends that restaurant owners can't do much about. So it was more important to focus on what I could change. What I did... I grabbed a pen and a piece of paper and started calculating. I knew that after identifying opportunities for saving money, it would be possible to reduce the cost of production and thus keep the price low," Vasyl explains.

The Ukrainians have managed to keep prices much lower than others all these years. All year round, if you walk along the Torrox Costa promenade, you will smell the aroma of fresh, fire-roasted tomatoes and melting mozzarella. Many foreigners come to the pizzeria not only because of the low prices but also because of the quality they get at I Love Pizza, the name chosen by Vasyl to be understood internationally.

Vasyl and his regulars from Britain, Germany and Sweden, among others, understand each other's tastes well. They can order an exclusive pizza, created especially to their preferences. Vasyl doesn't mind, because for himself to eat he makes pizza with tuna, bacon and lots of onions. Apparently, this flavour reminds him of a dish in Ukrainian cuisine. There are also unusual Ukrainian, Czech and Polish beers on the menu, such as the raspberry beer made in Ukraine.

"I guess it's one of my missions to help people recognise Ukrainian cuisine. When the war started in Ukraine, a lot of people supported us and at the same time our customers wanted to learn more about Ukrainian foods. So, we added some Ukrainian dishes to our menu. In addition, we organised a campaign for people to help the Ukrainian army in this difficult time," Vasyl explained.

This year, the pizzeria was honoured as one of the four best places to eat and drink in Torrox by the local council on Tourist Day in September.

When asked how Vasyl's original religious ambitions fit with his reality as a businessman today, he immediately replied, "I think I'm doing something good for people, and that's important."

This year, the pizzeria was honoured as one of the four best places to eat and drink in Torrox by the local council on Tourist Day in September.

When asked how Vasyl's original religious ambitions fit with his reality as a businessman today, he immediately replied, "I think I'm doing something good for people, and that's important."