It’s likely that you’d recognise Melissa Leong’s face, she was the first female judge ever on Masterchef Australia; but today’s conversation goes into some very personal places that extend far beyond what you might see on prime time TV. She burst onto our screens in 2020 and made us fall in love with food and cooking. Her new memoir ‘Guts’ is a raw, funny and beautifully written look at her upbringing in a Singaporean - Chinese family, the behind the scenes of the food and entertainment world and some personal stories that she hadn’t shared publicly before.

Growing up with strict, authoritarian immigrant parents and ending up in a creative profession
Being no contact with her dad
The path that led Melissa to not having kids
Being single and getting so much connection from other areas of life
“How to” divorce if you’re in the public eye and the advice she was given of when and how to announce it
When the opportunity to host masterchef came knocking and Melissa didn’t jump at it
Dissociating after SA and having memory loss from the time
Realising that it is not her shame to bear
Happiness being ‘far too fleeting a concept to hang your hat on’ and finding purpose in being content instead
Being involved in the UFC - how, why and naked choke holds
What’s next for Melissa

You can get yourself a copy of “Guts” through this link

You can follow Melissa on Instagram

And check out her website

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Hosted by Britt Hockley & Keeshia Pettit

Produced by Keeshia Pettit

Video Produced by Vanessa Beckford

Recorded on Cammeraygal Land

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Growing up with strict, authoritarian immigrant parents and ending up in a creative profession
Being no contact with her dad
The path that led Melissa to not having kids
Being single and getting so much connection from other areas of life
“How to” divorce if you’re in the public eye and the advice she was given of when and how to announce it
When the opportunity to host masterchef came knocking and Melissa didn’t jump at it
Dissociating after SA and having memory loss from the time
Realising that it is not her shame to bear
Happiness being ‘far too fleeting a concept to hang your hat on’ and finding purpose in being content instead
Being involved in the UFC - how, why and naked choke holds
What’s next for Melissa