THOMASINA MIERS | INTERVIEW
We talk to the Masterchef winner as she opens the doors to her Mexican restaurant, Wahaca, in Cardiff
London foodie staple Wahaca will be Filling the void of authentic Mexican Food in Cardiff as it opens its the doors to it’s newest restaurant this month.
With big flavours and dishes to mix and match with friends, Wahaca is branching out from the big smoke where it has 13 restaurants and two pop up mobile carts.
“For me Wales seemed a natural choice,” explains Wahaca creator, Thomasina Miers (known as Tommi to friends), “I love Wales, my father grew up here so I’ve been coming here ever since I was tiny. I think it is the most beautiful country, full of green, rolling hills, incredible castle ruins, amazing produce and great people.”
Moving into The Hayes Wahaca will be bringing the likes of yummy chicken tacos and British Steak Burritos. Tommi suggests the, “ceviches with Marine Stewardship certified fish or our pork tacos which are melt in the mouth.”
Winning the MasterChef title in 2005, you know you’re in safe hands with Tommi, however, she entered the competition with little experience; “I was desperate at the time. I had finally started working in food, quite late in the day but I had no idea what I wanted to be or how to get there. I saw an advertisement and just went for it. It was the first series of the new look Masterchef back then so I had no idea what it really meant”.
When asked about then going to win the competition, Tommi explains that it “was such a huge boost to my confidence that Gregg and John believed in me.”
After the show, Tommi moved on to work at Skye Gyngell’s kitchen at Petersham Nurseries. Yet she still felt a niggle for something new and exciting. This led to the opening of Wahaca.
Tommi travelled around Mexico on her gap year, and fell in love with the different tastes and flavours she came across: “I fell in love with the country and its food. Everywhere I went the food changed but the flavours and ingredients were so fresh and vibrant!”
Tommi has now just realised her sixth cook book, The Chilli Notes which she says is, ‘by far her favourite creation to date!’ Celebrating the different uses of chillies she explains that “they have such an incredible range of flavours, and are not all just hot.” When asked which recipe she suggests trying she concludes, “If I were to recommend a recipe to my Welsh crew it would have to be the Welsh rarebit with melted leeks….simple but soooo good.”
Info: www.wahaca.co.uk
