1 minute read
Melissa Hemsley, Eat Happy
Melissa Hemsley is the perfect advert for her food empire. Glossy hair, radiant skin and oozing energy, she talks with the machine gun speed that TV chefs display when demonstrating their super-fast chopping techniques. Full of purpose she cuts straight to the point.
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Her mantra is to make satisfying and easy-to-digest meals that leave you feeling vibrant, strong and healthy. Her recipes are gluten-, grain- and refined sugar-free alternatives to daily staples while still being full of healthy fats, tasty and using well-sourced ingredients and seasonal produce.
She is also a realist, who understands that many people are not confident in the kitchen, are struggling on tight budgets or are concerned that they simply don’t have the time to follow a detailed recipe.
Food as comfort for the soul, as well fuel for the body is not just a PR line. Sadly Melissa’s father, Jack died three years ago after suffering from cancer for a number of years and she saw her mother try to make all sorts of dishes to tempt his palate. She knows all too well the stresses of cooking and eating if you are unwell or caring for a patient who is in and out of hospital.
“From my Dad, I know that people who are ill can be intimidated by big portions,” Melissa recalls. “ They may not want to eat when you have prepared a meal. We used to make fresh soup and put it in a thermos so my Dad could eat it when he was ready.
“He didn’t like the smell of cooking and only wanted plain, comfort foods so my mother, who is Filipino and loves spices, would prepare meals when he was out of the house so he didn’t have to smell it being made.”
Good food is Melissa’s passion. You can tell as her eyes light up and her hands and arms are in permanent animation as she discusses ingredients and taste sensations. She truly believes food is an important way to interact with each other.
“I would love to see the tradition of bringing food around to the house of someone who is ill or going through hard times to come back. People don’t do it so much now but it is such a lovely
words LOUISE COURT photographs SIMON EMMETT
