Had she followed her father’s wishes, Thomasina Miers would have begun a career as a tax consultant straight after school. But she wanted to explore the world instead. On a whim she travelled to Mexico City and landed in a place brimming with vitality, where the people were refreshingly open. Thomasina raves about her first encounter with the city: “So much culture, so many colours, all the noise and impressions. Mexico City was so exciting”. Hearing her speak, you understand immediately why her life is divided into two phases: before and after her trip to Mexico.
Colourful
festivals
Whether among friends or in chance encounters: in Mexico people love spending time together. This is apparent in the countless local and national festivals that are celebrated in almost every Mexican state throughout the year. Thomasina, too, fell in love with the people’s life-affirming joy on her travels across the country. She especially enjoyed festivals that often had the communal cooking and sharing of a meal at their centre. And with every mouthful she sampled as she travelled, the realisation grew that she wanted to change the direction of her life completely.
“Exotic ingredients, incredible flavours – the colourful dishes opened the door to a new culinary world.”
Fantastic
aromas
“Mexico opened my eyes to a whole new cuisine that I had previously known nothing about.” Fascinated by the diverse dishes and culinary experiences, Thomasina embarked on an eight-year journey through Mexico’s most-important food regions. Always excited by the next new, subtle flavour or by ingredients she’d never tried before, Thomasina gradually realised, as she travelled, that all she wanted to do in life was to cook. Back home, she enrolled in a cookery school and then opened the first of several Mexican restaurants in London.
“My biggest wish: to get out and feel freedom.”
Hear how Mexico’s cuisine inspired Thomasina to become a chef.
Thomasina’s #LifeChangingPlace as a podcast
Next stop: Mexico
Curious about Mexico? Visit this diverse country and experience it in all its variety.