Humans Of The Kitchen

Volodymyr Artamonov’s cooking starts with memory. The sound of oil in a pan, fresh fish from the sea, meals that didn’t need much to mean everything.
He’s been in kitchens since he was 14, shaped by pressure, discipline, and environments that demand more than just talent. Moving from Odessa to Germany forced another kind of growth with a new language, a new culture, and starting over. Through it all, he held onto the same idea that cooking isn’t about complexity, it’s about honesty. Let the product speak, do the work, and keep improving.
His path has been built on consistency, not shortcuts. From early lessons in humility to working under chefs who pushed him to be better, every step has reinforced the same belief that this craft takes time, sacrifice, and intention.
In this conversation, Volodymyr shares how those early memories continue to shape his cooking, the discipline behind his growth, and what it takes to build something honest in an industry that doesn’t wait for anyone.
Read the full story at the link in bio 🔝

There are things that money can’t buy, and this grandfather’s mastery is one of them. The precision to flip the Apam Balik and that calm that only the years of trade give you. 👴🥞

📍 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 🇲🇾

Credits to

Check them out for similar content

• All rights reserved to the respective owners.

Peter Smit
I’m originally from Toowoomba, in Queensland, Australia. It’s a small country town—there’s really nothing there. I’m currently living in Singapore and have been here the past 7 years.
My intro into cooking wasn't an expected one. My first intentional experience with cooking was to impress a girl. I was a 17 year old trying to get laid (with my then partner). I never cared about cooking—couldn't care less about it, and food was just a means to stay alive. If you had asked me when I was 17, if I wanted to be a chef, I would have told you you're an idiot.
I ended up cooking for a day and weirdly, I actually liked it. And then the next week I quit my job and started in a local fish and chip shop.
It's actually taken me a long time to admit that I started in a fish and chip shop. I thought it was a little bit embarrassing — I thought people would say, “You didn't start from where you're supposed to start.” Looking back now, the shop taught me all the fundamentals of cooking. We made everything fresh. It wasn't just your standard beachside chippy, where everything is brought in frozen. Everything was made daily.
Interview by Marla Tomorug, in collaboration with and
Photo credits to: Peter Smit, Rachel Tan, Tan Lu San and Dirty Supper.📸
Grateful for the care and intention Marla brought to capturing Peter’s story.
Discover more of her work on Instagram
Read the full story at the link in bio 🔝