Melissa is a self-taught chef, best-selling cookbook author, real food activist and sustainability champion. She believes in the power of feel-good, fresh, joyful food to nourish our bodies and the planet.
Melissa shot to fame as one half of the popular sister duo Hemsley + Hemsley, with appearances on primetime cookery shows and with two best-selling cookbooks to boot. Since then, Melissa has gone on to publish Eat Happy (2017) packed with her signature fresh, bold, vibrant, seasonal recipes that show just how easy it is to eat flavour-packed, nourishing meals without the restrictive diet labels. And Eat Green (2020), which champions a more sustainable approach to cooking with planet-friendly recipes that minimise food waste.
Her latest cookbook, Feel Good (2022), is packed with joyful recipes designed with both physical and mental health in mind. Its vibrant, colourful midweek meals, make-ahead lunches, satisfying breakfasts and sweet treats taste as good as they make you feel.
Melissa is also a Telegraph columnist, ambassador for Fairtrade UK and has hosted a series of panel discussions around making meaningful sustainable changes in her Sustainable Sessions series. She is a proud advocate for sustainable, planet-friendly eating, and packs her Instagram feed with zero-waste tips, ‘fridge forage’ recipes, seasonal dishes and sustainable living advice.
Melissa lives in East London with her boyfriend, Henry and dog, Nelly, where she’s often feeding a group of hungry guests around her kitchen table.
