Profile of Mark Zubovskyy, a 21-year-old Singapore PR and part-time model who deferred his university studies to rescue his family’s Slavic restaurant. The article reveals that running Kapitan in Tanjong Pagar costs his parents ~$55,000/month and they were on the brink of bankruptcy 8days.sg . Mark noticed the year-long slump – some nights only one table of diners – and felt he “couldn’t leave” for NTU while the business struggled straitstimes.com straitstimes.com . So he quit school to work 12-hour days at the restaurant, handling everything from kitchen to promotions. He jokingly calls pelmeni and vareniki “ang moh dumplings,” introducing locals to Slavic boiled dumplings with thick doughy skins and various fillings (meats, veggies) 8days.sg . The article also touches on the eatery’s evolution: opened in 2020 with his parents’ life savings, it was formerly known as Dumplings.ru before a nautical “Kapitan” rebrand in April 2023 8days.sg . Mark’s social media savvy (TikTok skits in sailor costume) brought a temporary spike in customers. Despite the hard work, he finds meaning in preserving his parents’ dream and hopes to eventually return to school once the restaurant stabilizes.