Meet the Ukrainian TikToker in Sask. showcasing iconic Canadian staples

A 19-year-old Ukrainian who is new to Canada is using TikTok to share his adventures in the country, including his first time trying a number of iconic Canadian foods.

Andrian Makhnachov came to Canada from Ukraine in May to live with his two brothers who were already in Regina, after making the decision with his family to leave the country.

Living in Canada was an adjustment at first, especially with constant updates pouring in from the war with Russia.

“When it’s night here, in Ukraine it’s day,” Makhnachov said. “I was really depressed, stressed and news everyday was worse and worse. I really felt bad.”

Makhnachov said it was his brother who inspired him to start making TikToks about his Canadian experiences, after seeing other Ukrainians in Canada making similar types of videos, but it took some convincing.

“He said, ‘you should make some videos too’ and I said I will not do it,” Makhnachov said. “One day, I was like okay I will post something and I posted this video about shopping in Canada and when I woke up it [had] a lot of comments, a lot of views.”

The views have only continued to go up since then. His TikTok, @makhnachov, has racked up 3.6 million likes as of Aug. 24.

Some of his most popular uploads include trying Canadian food staples. His video of trying a Nanaimo bar has 1.2 million views alone.

“I’m shocked that people are really crazy about this Nanaimo bar,” Makhnachov said. “When I tried it at first I was like, wow it’s too sweet and I don’t really like this, is this chocolate?”

According to Makhnachov, it was comments suggesting to try it frozen that turned his opinion around.

“I really like it more, it’s like not ice cream, but feels not as sweet, but it’s something interesting,” Makhnachov said.

Some of his other first tries documented on his TikTok include: ketchup chips, a Tim Hortons double-double, poutine and one that surprised him: the perogy pizza.

“In Ukraine you don’t have perogy pizza, I was like, I must try it,” Makhnachov said. “It tastes very Ukrainian. It really tastes like perogies, but a pizza.”

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Makhnachov’s message to other Ukrainians in Canada is to try and find the positives.

“With time, you really will like it. You will like Canada, you will like the strange-for-us foods, and don’t worry. Everything will be fine.”

Saskatchewan has agreed to welcome a total of five humanitarian flights with displaced Ukrainians by the end of March 2023, meaning many more people will have first-time experiences like the ones Makhanachov is sharing in the months ahead.

@makhnachov What i should try next? #canada_life🇨🇦 #ukraine🇺🇦 #vancouver #regina #toronto #saskatchewan #pancakes #cooking #canadiansweets #challenge #mukbang #firsttime ♬ Che La Luna - Louis Prima with Sam Butera & The Witnesses

@makhnachov What i should try next ? #canada_life🇨🇦 #ukraine🇺🇦 #vancouver #regina #toronto #saskatchewan #vancoverbc #canada #challenge #mukbang #tryit @makhnachov #bostonpizza ♬ Che La Luna - Louis Prima with Sam Butera & The Witnesses