Alex Ropis interview Alex: The Real London

I started skating when I was 15. We always had to eat a lot because we were skating for hours. In Greece, there are fast foods like souvlaki, which is healthy compared to other fast foods, but I always felt strange when I ate only fries. I thought, what's going on? Why is this happening? I need to learn more about how to cook myself. My mum was cooking one day, and I asked her to teach me. I always liked fried stuff, but I didn't feel good after eating it. I wondered how I could skate more and perform better.

My mum taught me the basics, and I realised I could make cooking a job. In Greece, if you're a chef, you can find a job anywhere. Restaurants are everywhere due to tourism. So, I thought, if I know how to cook, I can work anywhere I want. It an easy job for me, and I’ve worked in professional restaurants for six or seven years. I was taught to cook with love, but I felt I wasn’t making an impact cooking fancy food. I wasn’t helping people. At home, when I cooked for my friends, they felt much better and healthier. This stuck with me.

I came to London to take my culinary career to the next level. When I arrived, I tried fine dining and worked in many restaurants. Right now, I work in a private members club in Mayfair. It's really good, but again, I thought I could do more. I train jujitsu, skateboard, and I'm an athlete. I'm always around food as a chef, so I always check my diet and limits to see how I can perform better. I asked myself, what are my opportunities? Can I be something more than a chef?

I checked out London Met, which was one of the top places for nutrition and dietetics. Since I got in, everyone has been really helpful. My life changed completely. With the knowledge I've gained, it feels like someone is carrying me along the journey, reassuring me that everything is fine. My friends are also part of this journey. Whenever I go home, they’re excited and want to hear something new. We all quit partying, smoking, and drinking, and started doing better for ourselves. I always share my PowerPoints with my friends. We check proteins, how they work, and other aspects of nutrition. It’s good for me, for my life, and for my friends in general. We all have a very balanced diet now, which is really important. It's hard to maintain in London, but we are all from a Mediterranean background, so we are used to home-cooked food.

I think it’s easier being in the library than in the kitchen. In the kitchen, there’s pressure, but here, it’s calm. Everyone's really nice. Some modules are very challenging, so I have to expand my research with podcasts and audiobooks. If you want to learn more, you have to think like a scientist. You have to do the research and background work. The labs are amazing. We did protein amino acid quantification, which I never dreamed I would learn as a kid.

One of my first lecturers, Mary-Jane Poku, was the best. She explained biology in a way that was easy to understand. I never needed to do extra research for her class because she made everything clear. I also love that all the lectures are online and recorded. I can cycle and listen to them repeatedly, which is convenient. We have all the tools we need to succeed.

Skateboarding was freer and cooler before it became mainstream. But skateboarding is sometimes too free, and I often feel lost. I needed something more disciplined but not team-based. When I got to London, I went to a jujitsu gym straight away, even though I didn't speak much English. You don't need to talk in a jujitsu gym; you just grapple. I made friends quickly. Jujitsu is like a chess game with another human body. You have to be respectful and maintain pressure. You need to be physically healthy and check everything. You can’t train on an empty stomach, so you need to understand what to eat.

My ultimate goal is to be the top nutritionist for mixed martial artists in the world. I want to help champions become the best without any limitations. I came to London Met to pursue this goal. I will finish my studies, work hard, and reach the UFC in Las Vegas!

I was nervous coming to London Met because English is not my first language, but everyone explained things simply. I was happy with the community. People of all ages are studying here, and everyone is friendly. The diversity is amazing. You meet people from all over the world with the same goals, and you share stories, experiences and recipes. You learn from their mistakes and struggles. I’ve learned to talk to different people and be more comfortable. This is important for any future job.

It’s hard to combine being an athlete with being a scientist, but it’s possible. This is just the first year. I can't imagine what it will be like when I finish my studies. London Met helped me have a vision and made it clear in my head that I can achieve what I’ve set out to do.