Thomasina Miers - How Wahaca Changed UK Food Culture - Becoming Masterchef's First Champion & What Restaurants Must Do to Survive!

About this episode

Thomasina Miers discusses her journey in transforming UK food culture and the challenges facing the restaurant industry today.

This week on the Go To Food Podcast, we're joined by one of the most influential figures in British food: Thomasina Miers. From becoming the first-ever MasterChef champion to building the iconic Oaxaca restaurant group, Thomasina has spent more than two decades transforming the way Britain thinks about Mexican food. Recorded live at the Ballymaloe Food Festival, this is a conversation packed with passion, honesty, and unforgettable stories. Thomasina takes us back to the moment a chance conversation with the legendary Clarissa Dickson Wright changed the course of her life, leading her to Ballymaloe Cookery School and eventually to Mexico. She shares the adventures, missteps, and inspirations that shaped her career, from making cheese in Ireland and shaking cocktails in Mexico City to launching one of the UK's most beloved restaurant brands. We also dive into the challenges facing hospitality today. Thomasina speaks candidly about rising costs, government policy, sustainability, regenerative farming, and why restaurants play a far bigger role in society than simply serving food. It's a fascinating look at the realities of running a successful restaurant group in one of the…

People in this episode

Guest: Thomasina Miers

Topics covered

• British food culture
• Mexican cuisine
• restaurant industry challenges
• sustainability
• hospitality
• food recommendations

Keywords

• Thomasina Miers
• Wahaca
• MasterChef
• Ballymaloe
• Mexican food
• hospitality challenges
• sustainability
• food recommendations

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Ballymaloe Cookery School, Wahaca, Oaxaca

Books & works: MasterChef

Places: UK, Mexico, Ireland

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