Cover: Women's Health Magazine

She’s graced our TV screens for years, cheering and cajoling budding home cooks. But now #MelissaLeong (@fooderati) is stepping out of her comfort zone, adding new layers to a unique personal journey.

In many ways, Mel is a fitting first digital cover star as we usher in a new era of Women’s Health. For just as we, as a brand, seek to explore the multi-faceted world of wellness beyond the dumbbell or yoga mat, Mel, too, is proving that you can be just as at home poring over perfumes as you can perfecting jiu-jitsu moves. After all, life is a rich dish indeed.

“I think the lesson is to dare to dream and to say yes to zany opportunities because you just don’t know what’s around the corner.”

Click here to read the full interview with the food critic, presenter and author.

Head of brand and words @scarlett.keddie
Editorial director @yeayea.nah
Photography @stevenchee
Styling @grantpearce.inc
Makeup @pinkiiieee
Hair @richardkavanagh
Styling assistant @elisestaveley
Head of social @ariellekatos

On the cover, Melissa wears @Ajeathletica coat, @The_upside top, @Nagnata skirt, @Veja shoes, @Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Shades watch.

In Conversation With: Jamie Oliver

Late last year I had the pleasure of moderating an ‘in conversation’ with Jamie Oliver to a packed-to-the-rafters Sydney Opera House. The energy was electric and this gig will probably remain as one of my favourite working moments for a while to come.

For those of you who weren’t able to snag tickets, I have some good news! The whole conversation is now live, and you can watch it…right here!

A huge thank you to the entire Sydney Opera House and Jamie Oliver teams for inviting me to facilitate this wonderful chat, I hope you enjoy watching it as much as I did being a part of it!

In Conversation at the Sydney Opera House, Jamie Oliver and Melissa Leong.

Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation Heart Pendant

If you learn anything shocking today, let it be this: a pap test does NOT detect ovarian cancer. In 2022, THERE IS STILL NO TEST TO DETECT IT.

Ovarian cancer takes the life of an Australian woman every 8 hours. Mothers, sisters, friends, daughters, all.

Help @ocrf find a test and a cure by donating, even easier, buy one of these beautiful @georgjensen OCRF heart pendants, whose proceeds support this very important work.

Proud to be part of this awareness campaign, produced by @gritty_pretty, alongside some incredible, tough and inspirational women. Watch the video below, it’s a powerful reminder of how much this impacts us all.

Click here to find out more.

Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation 2022 video for Georg Jensen and Gritty Pretty, featuring Maria Thattil, Rachael Finch and Melissa Leong.

I wrote a book!

I've been pushed to write a book for the past few years because apparently that's what you do when you have a job like mine. I didn't want to do a cookbook, a memoir, anything someone else wanted of me as a first, so I wrote a kids book.

I made this partially because I'll be defiant till my dying breath, and partially because the abundance in my life is thanks to a joy and excitement about food that began when I was little. Thank you to everyone who has meant something to me and encouraged me to do better, I couldn't fit you all, but you know who you are.

To artists and creative geniuses Kit Palaskis (we’ve known each other for a long time!) and Eleonora Arosio, thank you for bringing this to life in a such a joyous way. Please look them up and see their incredible work!

Out soon, CLICK HERE TO PRE-ORDER your very own copy! Thank you so much for your support. I haven't ever sold anything before that's just mine, and it's a scary moment!

Me? A Gold Logie Nomination?!

Melissa Leong is having none of that business about how you’re supposed to downplay the significance of a Gold Logie nomination.

“It’s potentially a big deal,” the MasterChef judge says of the fact she has a shot at becoming the first woman of Asian background to win Australian television’s biggest popularity contest. “People go, ‘Oh, it’s just the Logies’, but it’s a mirror being held up: Who are we watching? What stories are we watching and experiencing through the course of the past year?”

Read the rest here.

Australian Financial Review 2020 Power List: Top 10 Most Culturally Powerful People in Australia

What can I say. I’m still kind of in shock over the year I’ve had and the work I’ve been so lucky to be involved in. ⁣⁣
The most meaningful part of it, has been to know that my being here means something to those who struggle to feel seen, heard and valued in this place.⁣⁣⁣
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Thank you @financialreview for including me 4th on this list of most culturally powerful people in Australia for 2020, I am in awe to stand alongside the likes of the incredible Pat Turner, Chief Justice Susan Kiefel, Celeste Barber and Nicole Kidman. I could never have dreamt to be grouped with such inspiring women who make a difference. ⁣⁣⁣
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Today is a cathartic day for the little girl in me who never felt like she would ever belong or be understood. ⁣

To anyone reading this who feels the same as I did, know that no matter what they tell you, your place in this world holds incredible value. Be real and own who you are: your time is on its way.

“On an entirely domestic scale, 2020’s fourth place-getter, Melissa Leong, too, had found her moment in disaster. In the case of the rookie MasterChef Australia judge, the catastrophe was twofold: the 2019 pay dispute that had led to the departure of the show’s three middle-aged male judges; and the COVID-19 lockdown that coincided with its make-or-break 12th season.

Melissa Leong: "Why is it even a surprise that Melissa is the face of lockdown television? She’s amazing." Kelly Gardner

Into a suddenly resounding vacuum – as pantry staples flew off supermarket shelves and a nation cooked to cope – stepped a formidably articulate food writer with a singular flare for being herself. Leong refused to sanitise a social media trail that included previous unflattering comments about the show and was entirely upfront about her own mental health battles. Better still, she demonstrated a moist-eyed empathy for the cooks in distress that are the show’s stock in trade. She also just happened to be not only the show’s first female judge but its first non-Caucasian.

“Who knew that an incredibly intelligent, beautiful, skilled and experienced person could be successful?” Graeme Mason asked with wide-eyed irony. “What could possibly have been holding her back? That’s the diversity conversation for 2020: why is it even a surprise that Melissa is the face of lockdown television? She’s amazing.”

Just how amazing was confirmed by the second-highest overall ratings in the show’s history. Its April 13 launch was watched by 1.23 million viewers, one-third more than last year and one of 2020’s most-watched debuts, and the closing moments of the finale hit 2 million. Fiona Menzies spoke for the panel when she said, “Melissa is a true find because she’s so authentic in every way. Nothing has been contrived to make her into the perfection that she is.”

MasterChef Australia: Meet Your New Judge Melissa Leong

While she might not be a household name - yet - Leong is kind of a big deal in the foodie world. As a freelance food (and travel) writer and recipe editor, she’s been responsible for helping some big name chefs, like Colin Fassnidge and Dan Hong, bring their cook books into fruition. Plus, she started Fooderati, a website that fuses her love for food and style (this woman has taste).

Aside from being a wordsmith, Leong is a presenter and has appeared on radio, TV and podcasts talking about what she finds rather delectable. Taking a detour from the food writing world, Leong spent five years as a restaurant marketing, public relations and digital consultant.

For the new MasterChef host, food has been a passion ever since she was that kid “who brought the weird lunches to school”.

“Food’s always been central to who I am because it really forms such a core part of a Singaporean identity,” Leong told the Head Ovary Heels podcast.

“I was born in Australia but my parents are from Singapore and, you know, you eat and you shop and that’s about it… food is very much at the centre of every conversation, it’s how we communicate with family.

“Food has always been part of my existence and identity and I feel lucky to now call it a core existence of what I do in a professional capacity.”

She’s a champion for diversity

Leong has long been campaigning for more diversity, particularly in her area of food journalism, saying we need to “encourage a more inclusive and balanced perspective” when it comes to writing about cuisine from different ethnicities.

“It’s fair to say there’s a general dissatisfaction across the board when it comes to the current media state of play,” Leong wrote for Hospitality magazine earlier this year.

“Does it explain the amount of published pieces irately forwarded to me from chefs and restaurateurs, or why I sometimes feel a sense of cringe when I read a piece about the food I grew up with written by a writer who doesn’t quite seem to get it? Is it the overly knowing tone, a lack of diversity in voices and backgrounds or just terrible journalism that’s bothering us?”

She’s critiqued MasterChef in the past

Now, here’s where things get a little spicy; long ago tweets have surfaced where Leong takes a bit of a dig at the whole MasterChef franchise.

In another from 2012, she retweeted a tweet that disparaged the show: “HAHAHAHAHAHA RT @hierohero The biggest mistake an amateur chef can make is going on #masterchef”.

When quizzed about it last night on The Project, the new host wasn’t fussed or flummoxed and refused to back down from her comments.

“We're all humans and we all have perspectives on things that change over time. Why should I scrub all of my social media clean of former opinions that I've had?” she said.

“I may not believe the same things that I did before, but I also don't believe in presenting a sanitised version of myself that is highly edited because that is not who I am.”

Yes, we’re sold on this woman already.

Want to go steady? Sign up to our whimn.com.au newsletter for more stories like this.

Australian Bushfire Appeal: How You Can Help (No Matter Where You Live)

It is without a doubt, the most heartbreaking start to a year we’ve experienced as a nation in quite some time. Like every Australian, I am feeling the distress and the hopelessness of it all. The statistics on the scale of our environmental disaster are beyond staggering, and the fact that we are largely being fought for by volunteers, is incredible. Our governance is proving ineffective at bolstering support for those in need, or giving our nation any hope that we can rely on them.

So we have to do this ourselves, and rely on each other and our friends around the world, to help those in serious and heartbreaking strife. We are one world and we are all connected. We need you!

There are so many ways you can do that, so if you are feeling a little lost as to what to do, here are a few good places to start. One thing is enough to help enormously, more than that is amazing. Thank you.

1. DONATE MONEY. Go to any one of these incredible charities, and donate some cash. Even a dollar adds up, and it all goes somewhere constructive to helping ease the pain and suffering of those who are injured, sick or have lost homes, both human and animal alike. Try to donate to official organisations so you know your funds are going to those who you intend it to help.

   NSW Rural Fire Service

   Victorian Bushfire Fund

   Gippsland Emergency Relief Fund

   Cudgewa Victoria fires

   Mallacoota Victoria fires

   If you are #teamceleste, join the millions of wonderful humans from across the globe that have contributed to (as of today) just over $41 million dollars.

   WILDLIFE SUPPORT

   WIRES

   Port Macquarie Koala Hospital

   WWF

   Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park

   CHARITIES

   The Salvation Army

   The Red Cross

   St Vincent de Paul (Vinnies, to us Aussies!)

2. DONATE GOODS OR SERVICES to Food Bank or other charities collecting shelf stable food, toiletries and other useful items and distributing them to crisis centres and those in need.

   GIVIT has a useful list of items needed and where they need to go, where items you may have access to can find a life, helping those who really need them.

3. DONATE A PLACE TO STAY. If you own a property adjacent to those who have lost homes and have the capacity to have people or livestock stay with you, or you have a vacant holiday house that can be loaned to a family or families indeed, head to Empty Houses (south coast NSW), or similar set ups, to let them know you can help. AirBNB have also set up their website to allow people to search for, or offer emergency housing in NSW and VIC.

4. SPEND SPEND SPEND! There are a HEAP of wonderful brands and services, online and around Australia, donating portions of sales to relief funds. Keep an eye out for your favourite stores and labels on social media and if you need something, buy it during their advertised support period.

5. EAT EAT EAT!! Many amazing chefs and restaurants are hosting charity events to raise money, or donating proceeds from dishes and drinks. Keep an eye out on my Instagram page highlights and posts, and I will post whatever comes my way, there. Props to chefs like Jacqui at Nomad in Sydney, Duncan from Africola and the crew from Porteño for starters, for being so quick to act in coordinating delicious fundraising dinners and money-cant-buy experiences, and for coordinating the Australian hospitality industry to band together and do what we can.

This list is by no means exhaustive or definitive, but every single one is doing something to help. International friends especially, thank you for your donations and support. It can be difficult to grasp the enormity of what’s going on from far away, but the images are real and the pain and suffering is palpable. Please help tangibly, prayers are lovely, but not enough to help those who are without homes, food or safety right now.

Aside from relief, consider who you bank with and how much of your hard-earned money is helping to finance fossil fuel industries. This was something I never considered until a wise friend brought up the subject.

Here are the top 7 Australian financial institutions investing in fossil fuel industries:

Information source: Market Forces

Market Forces provide a fantastic resource for learning a bit more about where you money is going and who some better alternatives to go with. There is a list of banks and their stance on fossil fuel investment, I would recommend cross referencing this information with financial institution comparison websites and a financial advisor to find the best rates and terms to suit you personally. To kick things off, I was saddened to discover that the banking institutions I was with are on this list… which is why I am now no longer banking with them.

It is up to use a consumers to vote with our money and show institutions how we feel about them.

Have You Been Paying Attention?

I always wanted to be on a quiz show when I was growing up… so I was thrilled to be asked to join Have You Been Paying Attention as a guest quiz master this week, to sling a few food related questions at the very smart, very funny panel of humans. Thank you so much for watching, if you did!. Click here to catch up if you missed it.

Masterchef Australia

It is with great excitement that I share with you possibly the biggest news of my career, to date. I’m thrilled to confirm the whispers happening out there and say YES! I will indeed be part of the new guard for MasterChef Australia!⁣

I could never have dreamed that I would be asked to be part of the next chapter of this great Australian legacy, and it is with deep respect and appreciation for everything that has come before, that we take our first steps into the new. ⁣

Thank you to everyone for their belief and support and a huge HELLO to those of you I am yet to know! Goodbyes are hard, and greeting new people isn’t always easy, but bringing everything I have to the table is a promise I make to you, and one I plan to keep.

World Dumpling Day!

I had the pleasure of hosting an event to celebrate World Dumpling Day at The Galeries, in Sydney last week. In their first ever dumpling eating competition, some very brave contestants set out to beat the current Guinnes World Record for the most amount of dumplings consumed in 2 minutes…which stands at 30.

My amazing Doodad & Fandango earrings, matched with my emerald green velvet turban by EDGELEY.

Well done to our first place Karl, who ate 27 dumplings in the time limit…so close yet so far!!

For all the thrills, spills and to find out whether anyone puked, read all about the dumpling madness here.

Thank you to the fabulous team at The Galeries and Lotus Dining for having me host such a fun (and filling) event…

And a special shout out to the wonderful Doodad & Fandango, who made me custom dumpling earrings just for the day. If you would like to order an exact pair, click HERE!

Writing In Colour: Notes On Diversity In Food Writing

In this month’s @hospitalitymagazine, I was asked to write about my perspective on food writing as a person of colour in Australia, and I asked a bunch of chefs and restaurateurs (of different backgrounds), to weigh in on whether any of it matters.⁣
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Thank you to Dan Hong, Palisa Anderson, Victor Liong, Jerry Mai, Joel Valvasori, Aaron Turner and Khanh Nguyen, for your thoughtful insight.
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Thank you also, to editor @annabellecloros for allowing me to contribute to the global discussion on diversity in our industry. It’s an important issue, but then again so is competence, tone and respect.

Click here to read the story.

Come See Me At The Curated Plate On The Sunshine Coast August 8 - 11!

I’m thrilled to be hosting a couple of delicious events at the inaugural year for The Curated Plate, on Queensland’s beautiful Sunshine Coast August 8 - 11, featuring some of Australia and New Zealand’s hottest chef talent.

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The Chefs' Line Airs on Netflix

Netflix August 2019

Two years ago, I would have laughed in your face if you’d told me I’d be co-host and judge on a show on @netflix with my pals @hongsta_gram and @markblackolive, and alongside trail blazing shows I’ve loved and admired.⁣
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Since then, my world has opened up so much, and I’m so humbled by the crazy things I get to call work these days, in addition to my job as a food and travel writer. ⁣⁣
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We filmed Season 1 of #thechefsline so long ago it feels like a distant memory (would someone tell me never to cut a fringe?!), but if you’re new to the show, thank you for watching!

Click here to watch now! #netflix

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Avoiding Single Use Plastic While Travelling: ABC RADIO

My sustainable travel kit

I love my regular food and travel segment with Richelle Hunt on ABC Melbourne! Aside from being hilarious, warm and well versed on every subject under the sun, she lets me talk about anything I’m into. A huge focus for a while, has been creating less single use waste while on the road, so we talked about my tips for travelling a bit more consciously as a human. The good news is that it isn’t cumbersome, or difficult, it’s totally doable!

All you need is:

• A reusable water bottle (an insulated one is great for keeping things hotter or colder for longer). Go through international security with it empty so you can take it through, then refill on the side, or ask your air host to do it while in the air. If you can nab a lemon wedge from the lounge, a cafe, or the bar cart, even better!

• A reusable straw for smoothies, juices and other slurpables (mine is from Melbourne brand Toko Eco)

• A sleeve with reusable cutlery, and YES, the knife is TSA friendly!

• A travel coffee cup (so you don’t to use the disposable ones on the plane)

• (not pictured) a stainless steel, leak proof bento, for snacks. It’s obviously fine to eat what you are served on a plane, but if you want to eat healthier and make sure everything you use isn’t wrapped in plastic, then this is a great way to go!

  My favourites are things like jerky, almonds, dark chocolate, seaweed crisps, fruit, or konjac noodles with a dressing. Vegan food is great because you don’t have to worry about it spoiling at room temperature for a few hours, which is also a good call, no matter how much meat you eat.

Tune in here to listen to the piece, and while I am most certainly not evangelising this way to travel, I can highly recommend it for convenience, deliciousness, and a tiny contribute to being a responsible human for the planet. Tiny changes by many, add up.

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What is The Slowdown? From Burnout To Breaking Down, Here's My Story.

I spent some time recently, with the incredible @katepascoesquires for her new publication @theslowdownpress. It’s easily the most raw I’ve been about who I am and how I’ve come to view the world, but I think that real talk is the kind we should be having more with one another in the world, whatever the medium. ⁣⁣
In it, I talk about my personal struggles with mental health, what really happens when you burn out, and an honest account of how I’ve finally come to be comfortable in my skin. If you read it, thank you for sharing my story and I wish you well in yours. The Slowdown is a wonderful online publication that shares the stories and lessons learned by a heap of people from all walks of life and perspectives, so I invite you to read on, and maybe find some inspiration on your own path.

Click here to read my story.

Images and words by Kate Pascoe Squires.

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The Design Files: A Day In The Life

I have been freelancing for over a decade as a writer, journalist, television presenter, media/communications consultant, editor and general food industry dogsbody. No day is ever the same, but nonetheless, I attempted to explain what a day in my life looks like, to the fine people at The Design Files. I have been a fan of Lucy Feagins and her impeccable style and design website for so long, and it is truly a dream come true, to be featured among its beautiful pages.

Click here to read the story!

Photos by Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files.

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Want To Go On A Date With Me?

Sponsored content made with Visit Victoria and News.com.au

Recently, I was asked by News.com.au, to write a piece on my picks on where to eat and drink, in a suburb by suburb guide to Melbourne (below). Join Joe and me as we go on a date night hit list of some of our favourite haunts; just a few of the reasons why I love this town!

How to eat your way through Melbourne’s neighbourhoods

Regardless of whether you’re southside chic or hip in the north, part of the cool young family crew in Footscray or beachy in St Kilda, one thing’s for sure: Melbourne knows how to eat.

news.com.au has teamed up with Visit Victoria to give readers the best local knowledge on where to find Melbourne’s hottest dining destinations. 

From weekend brunch to late night bites, each pocket of Melbourne contains something delicious, no matter what time it is… because, it’s always time to eat.

Melburnians are a loyal bunch. They’re not afraid to stick with the places that have served them well, and as such, many venues stand the test of time and dining dynasties are born. Over by the beach, Ronni Di Stasio’s eponymous namesake restaurant and bar may have recently opened a city iteration (Citta), but there’s real charm in visiting the original Café Di Stasiofor a Negroni and a plate of fritto misto. Meanwhile, down the street, Lau’s Family Kitchen sets the bar for what a local Chinese restaurant can be. It’s famous sister restaurant Flowerdrum may garner the accolades in this family, but there’s something to be said for soul food in the ’burbs.

A rush of new blood is always a great thing though, and historic live music venue The Espy has recently been reborn into its latest life; featuring plush new interiors, 12 bars over five floors, including cocktail bar The Ghost of Alfred Felton; helmed by Oska Jarvis-White, formerly of Fitzroy gold standard drinking establishment, The Everleigh. Meanwhile, over at The Stokehouse, it’s time to get bougie on the bay and enjoy a long, luxe lunch in architecturally inspired Pascale Gomes-McNabb designed space on the water.

Creeping towards the city, the South Yarra/ Windsor area celebrates the dichotomy of old and new; with classics like French bistros France Soir and Entrecôte continuing to occupy a crucial part in the cultural heart of the south. Enduring pub venue The Botanical is also undergoing a fresh lease on life, with new ownership in the driver’s seat. Meanwhile, new venues like Galah and Atlas Dining provide a fresh, new perspective on all things stylish and south of the Yarra.

We know South Melbourne has a great fresh food market scene, but that doesn’t mean options are short on the ground when it comes to great eats. The area around South Melbourne Market is littered with edible gems, including pastry palace Chez Dre; revered pastry chef Andres Reiss’ namesake café, while Bibelot is her glossy, modern ode to all things chocolate, coffee and supremely covetable. For something more savoury, Park Street Pasta & Wine has also been giving Melbourne a solid run for its money when it comes to Melbourne’s best pasta.

From hot pot to hotspot, the city is changing daily, especially when it comes to late night eating. Dragon Hot Pot’s 24-hour spicy Chinese odyssey has much of Melbourne’s hospitality crowd happy after service, as well as Butcher’s Diner, for one of the best burgers in the city, no matter how late (or early) it is. On the cult classic front, Ling Nan also will never not be a chef favourite. Here, 2am means bronzed, crispy five-spiced quail, pippies in XO over noodles, ice cold Tsingtao and half a dozen of your best mates.

A night out on the town is best-spent venue hopping, exploring the city’s charming alleyways, bars and dining spots. After 11 years, chef Matt McConnell and restaurateur Jo Gamvros’ Bar Lourinhã on Little Collins Street continues to be one of the city’s most compelling date night spots, with some of the best food in the city, sans the hype. A few streets over, their friend and sometimes-cohort, bartender Joe Jones matches them in the romance department (I should know, I’m married to the guy) at his aptly named and intimate table service cocktail bar, Romeo Lane. Speaking of lanes, Punch Lane’s media darling Sunda relishes showcasing the merits of truly imaginative fusion; with chef Khanh Nguyen’s imaginative interpretation of South East Asian food, presented through an Australian lens. A stumble next door, and neighbour Bar Saracen (owned by Middle Eastern restaurant royalty Rumi Dining) offers up delicious bar snacks “of Middle Eastern Appearance”.

Edging out of the city into the north, Carlton’s proud Italian heritage appears to be in good hands, with a new generation of operators, lifting up one of Australia’s most vital migrant cultures. Multi-venue behemoth, King & Godfree has finally reopened, offering an Italian deli, rooftop bar, gelateria and (set to open soon) wine bar, while new kids on the block Capitano and Leonardo’s Pizza Palace bring a new-school, Americano Italian vibe, to the Carlton massive. 

In nearby Fitzroy, chef Shannon Martinez, of Smith & Daughters, has reimagined her vegan restaurant menu into a hit parade of Italian trattoria favourites, which are punchy and vibrant regardless of the absence of meat. 

Tucked in the leafy streets behind Brunswick Street, Napier Quarter lives up its quest to provide a neighbourhood sanctuary in the form of a smart café by day and a chic wine bar with al fresco seating, come sundown.

If pubs are more your thing, Fitzroy and Collingwood’s quiet neighbourhood bars provide each to their own, with everything from bar cats (his name is Barry) and free pool on Mondays at Labour in Vain, to live rockabilly music and excellent Texan style BBQ ’n’ bourbon shots at The Gem Bar. 

The city fringe suburbs are not exempt from the action either, with Yarraville welcoming superlative fine diner Navi, to the neighbourhood, while Footscray has evolved to expand its offering of delicious authentic Ethiopian and Vietnamese cuisines like Addis Abeba and To’s Bakery, to include dynamic newcomers like gastropub Harley & Rose and boozy bakery Bad Love Club. And speaking of bakeries, it would be remiss not to mention nearby North Melbourne’s Beatrix Bakes; purveyors of some of the best CWA-style cakes, hand pies and slices in town, from their tiny hole-in-the-wall shop on Queensbury Street.

Whether you identify with a tribe in a specific area, or you’re simply an indiscriminate eater, Melbourne’s litany of food offerings from shoestring to Champagne and suburb to city, is a delicious, moving feast. From pop-ups to 24-hour joints, institutions and newcomers, chances are there’s something for everyone, and the next time you’re looking for somewhere to eat, the landscape will have changed yet again. Not bad, for fresh food.

Dining out in this foodie town can be serious – seriously fun. Melbourne offers culinary experiences from all-day breakfasts to all-night delights. Visit Melbourne and discover it for yourself. Find out more at visitmelbourne.com

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Ever Done A DNA Ancestry Test?

As an ambassador for A Taste of Harmony 2019, I was asked if I wanted to fill out an ancestry DNA test to find out a little more about where I come from. I wrote about what I discovered for their website, but I thought I’d share with you a little bit about me here. The basic process for a test, no matter which service you use, is:

1. Order your test online. There are great services like 23 & Me or Ancestry which make it super easy. It’s around $100usd.

2. You will receive a parcel in the mail. Open it, follow the instructions carefully, but essentially, the first thing in the morning before you brush (gross!), spit into the tube supplied, seal the bio hazard bag, and send the parcel back according to instructions.

3. A few weeks later, you’ll receive your results, some of which, you can feed through other website data engines, to help you find out things like medical predispositions to illnesses and intolerances, etc.

4. That’s it!

So here’s my story.

Melissa Leong, 3 years old, Singapore.

I was always curious about my cultural heritage beyond what I knew about my family being from Singapore, with Chinese ancestry. Growing up in a predominantly white Australian community, with a few Greek and Italian families, I was always fascinated about how far and wide they knew their family tree. It’s not really an Asian thing, to pass down detailed information about family, at least not in mine. As a migrant family to Australia, my parents were more focused on giving us a future, instead of reflecting on the past. 

I grew up learning a lot about my culture though, through food. It’s the way with most Asian kids, and you aren’t necessarily taught, you learn by exposure and by doing. I was always included in the kitchen when my mum or grandmother was cooking, from leaning to pound chillies with a heavy stone mortar and pestle for sambal, or mixing the mince for wontons, different foods carry different symbolism and importance for different occasions. My mother is a fantastic cook and through her, I have a collection of recipes I make over and over again. They’re the ones I reach for in times of needing comfort or to feel more connected with who I am. I love making Hainanese chicken rice, Nyonya chicken curry, beef rendang and steamed oysters with ginger, spring onions and soy… not bad heirloom recipes to own!

All I really knew about my cultural identity prior to taking the DNA test, is that my grandparents on both sides were originally from China, removed by about a generation or two on each side. My mother, from Fujian Province, mixed with Peranakan Chinese and my father, from Canton, China. My facial features, however, suggested that there may be more to the story than just Chinese heritage, and I always suspected that because of my Singaporean roots, and its history as a place in the with such a multicultural trade significance, that I might also have Dutch or Portuguese ancestry thrown into the mix.

Imagine my surprise to find out that I’m 92% ethnically Chinese, with the remaining 7ish% broader East Asian (this has now come back saying that I have ancestry from The Phillipines and Guam)…and about 1% Native American. I never could have predicted that last part! It’s a fascinating piece of information about my history that I could have never predicted and I would love to explore where, how and when this part of my history played a part in my family. 

 If I had to bring a dish to A Taste of Harmony event, it would probably be wontons. They’re such a crowd pleaser and I love that Australians have taken to dumplings with the kind of obsessive quality any Asian can respect. We are, after all as Australians, a part of South East Asia – something I think our politicians and leaders tend to forget. I think by embracing who we are as a rich multicultural mix of cultures, we are better placed to create a safe, dynamic and peaceful place to live. Diversity to me, means inclusion for all, and an opportunity to learn from and grow with each other. 

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