A Big Change for the Yakutov Household
Ukrainian restaurant owner and MasterChef Professionals judge Alex Yakutov and his wife, Alya, have adopted a boy named Kyrylo. The court approved their application, bringing a close to an adoption process that had taken more than a year. Kyrylo met his new parents in late April and came to live with them at the beginning of summer 2026.
The Road to Adoption
Before the adoption became official, the couple completed the required training for prospective adoptive parents and prepared all necessary documents. They started collecting the paperwork in spring 2024, and then their application spent over a year waiting for review by the children’s services authority. Their first meeting with Kyrylo happened at the Vorzel children’s home in the Kyiv region, where he was staying at the time. For the next month and a half, Alex and Alya visited him often, getting to know him and showering him with attention and care.
By early summer, Kyrylo was already living with the Yakutovs and had become friends with the family cat, Leo.
“Officially Oleksandrovych! Today the court put the final full stop on the adoption case, granting our application. Finally!” Alex Yakutov
The Yakutov family is now one person larger, and their adoption journey is a powerful example of love and responsibility.
Kyrylo’s adoption also highlights the value of family and social responsibility. Adoption is one of the key ways to strengthen family bonds and give children a better future when they need parental love and care. The Yakutovs’ story may encourage other couples thinking about adoption, showing that the road to building a family can look different, but it is always filled with love.