OLIA HERCULES was born in Ukraine and lived in Cyprus before moving to the UK to study English, Italian, and Russian. After working as a chef for several years, she released her bestselling and award-winning debut cookbook, Mamushka, in 2016. This was followed by Kaukasis, Summer Kitchens, and Home Food. Following the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Hercules co-founded a movement called #CookForUkraine, which has raised over £2 million pounds for humanitarian efforts. Strong Roots is her first memoir.
