CARMICHAEL, CA (MPG) - The youngest of eight kids in a Uzbekistani household, Elena Melnychuk dreamed of having a food business. What seemed impossible in the Soviet Union became doable in 1989, when her family immigrated to USA.

Graduating from Hiram Johnson High School, Elena started cooking to help friends. Eventually personal ambition prevailed and Elena’s Kitchen and Catering was born. "It's easy to start a business here," explains the 34-year-old. "It's easy to get licenses and permits. It's easy to buy beautiful, fresh ingredients and spices. In the old days in a communist country, for spices a cook had salt and pepper. That was it!"

Celebrating a 5th year in business, Elena’s Kitchen and Catering offers soups, meat and vegetable dishes and desserts oozing with all the luxuries unimaginable in her childhood. "People say my cabbage rolls taste like their mother made 50 years ago," she says. "To me, everything tastes better in America."

She employs a mostly female staff of 20 and serves up to 90 customers per day. Even during the COVID lull, there’s usually a salivating line by her Madison Avenue door at opening time; patrons range from truck drivers to American and immigrant housewives and their nostalgic grandparents. The kitchen also attracts many youngsters. "My youthful customers surprise me," she admits. "At their age all I wanted was burgers. These millennials prefer more interesting food. I guess their parents don't have time to prepare meals. Perhaps what the kids really want is home-cooking.”

Elena’s home cooking is from recipes perfected over nearly 30 years. At five years old, her first culinary effort produced a hot mess. “One day I decided to make bread like my father did,” she says. “I couldn’t find a baking tray, so I tore the cover off a book. I put my dough on it, to cook in the hot oven.” The burning result provided a first lesson in kitchen fire prevention. These days, Elena’s crusty loaves and a cheesy Georgian bread called khachapuri fly uncharred from her shelves.

Other customer favorites include her version of red Borscht soup; her chicken and mushroom-stuffed cabbage rolls; plov (a Uzbekistani pilaf); Italian tiramisu and a sinful caramel and cream-laced dessert she calls Curly Boy Cake. Food unsold at closing time is donated to the needy of her church. "We don't reheat," she explains. "We start fresh every day."

The secret to outstanding cuisine, Elena considers, is passion. "I tell my employees food tastes best when it's cooked with love. Love -- and lots of butter!"

Elena's Kitchen and Catering is currently open for takeout and home delivery. Limited patio seating is available. The kitchen is located at 6620 Madison Ave, at the Dewey corner. Learn more at www.elenas.kitchen