My Story
You’re here, so I guess it would be rude not to introduce myself. My name is Ankita Stopa and I am passionate about helping people cook more healthy and creative food. Life is busy enough and anything that can help us save time and money is something we all need in our lives.
I’m from India, which is one of the oldest and richest food cultures in the world. Indian cuisine is well known for being one of the world’s spiciest, most influential, diverse, and unique. As Indians differ from one another by religion, region, state, language, and caste, our cuisine varies so much that we have positioned ourselves as one of the world’s most diverse. The beauty of being an Indian living abroad is having both a great appreciation for different Indian cuisines and a palate that enjoys all gastronomies.
Most of the recipes I make in my Thermomix are traditional family recipes handed down through generations. My mother and grandmother were both great cooks, and shared their knowledge with me. I grew up in Saudi Arabia and have traveled all over the world to many European and Asian countries; I worked and lived in Japan and now reside in London, U.K. with my Polish husband. I have always enjoyed exploring the culture and food in each country. As a lover of food and brought up traditionally Indian, I have always cooked from scratch with delicious results but often time-consuming. Before having my children, I enjoyed winding down and taking time to cook after I came home from work. It was only when I had my daughter that I first heard about Thermomix and realized how easy home cooking could be.
So, How Did I Get Here?
Good question. Especially considering that I actually started out as Chemical Engineer from UCL who went into product & business development in the chemical & biodegradable field. (You know Ariel Liquid-Tabs or Quantum Finish tablets? Yeah, that’s what I helped develop.)
My Thermomix journey started back in 2009, when my Polish sister-in-law, Emilia, suggested I host a demonstration as I was a busy mum with a 4-month-old baby. Emilia was given a Thermomix TM31 as a wedding present, the previous year, and had raved about how she could make soup in 15 minutes, bread in less than 2 minutes, and risotto without the need to be in the kitchen. She was so convincing that I booked a home demonstration. I was blown away by the fruit sorbet demonstration alone, and bought one on the spot.
I started demonstrating as a hobby and extra income purely because of my love and passion for Thermomix. I loved how cooking was so simple and easy to follow. I started recommending to all my family, friends, and colleagues and quickly found myself demonstrating that year and within a few years working part-time as an Independent Advisor. I still had other business interests (still do) in the packaging industry, and marketing and I run a property portfolio too. I currently lecture Chemistry part-time. But even with all of this on my plate (ask a busy person…), I soon became UK’s number 1 Advisor and also had the most successful team in the UK.
In September 2014, I finally decided to rebrand to ‘One Girl and her Thermie’ and start to blog, sharing the love I have for Thermomix and sharing it with everyone. It’s been the most rewarding and fantastic journey. Demonstrating Thermomix has become a passion of mine. I’ve earned new Thermomixes – the newer models Thermomix TM5 and Thermomix TM6, I’ve been on several amazing Advisor incentive trips from Kinsale to Madeira and Budapest to Lisbon. I’ve been awarded accolades such as the first to reach Loyalty programs Level 4, 5 & 6 and been recognised as a Diamond Advisor three years in a row.
I’ll take the words of a great man who is at the forefront of technology to express my love of Thermomix demonstrating.
I’m often asked who my customer avatar is for Thermomix. Love cooking? Hate cooking? Bored of repetitive menus? Someone with kids? Time poor? Allergies? Well, the answer is anyone who eats.
I hope you’ll join me on this journey.