Melissa Leong & Leah WilsonBestiesThere isn't much Melissa Leong can’t do, and when it comes to food in Australia, she has done it all, almost. There is still one thing the TV Week Gold Logie-nominated television presenter and personality, freelance food and travel writer, food media consultant, radio broadcaster, MC and cookbook editor, has not added to her long list of achievements, and that is tackling The Amazing Race Australia with her best mate Leah Wilson.
Before donning a backpack and heading for the Pit Stop, Melissa was a television host and judge on the TV Week Logie and AACTA award-winning MasterChef Australia, as well as Junior MasterChef and Celebrity MasterChef on Network 10.
In 2024 she spearheaded MasterChef’s sweet new spinoff, Dessert Masters alongside internationally celebrated pastry god Amaury Guichon as co-host and judge. Melissa has been a season regular, sharing her recipes on Everyday Gourmet and The Cook’s Pantry, also on Network 10, and her previous work on SBS Television's hit series The Chefs' Line is currently on Netflix US.
Melissa stared alongside Samuel Johnson and Costa Georgiadis in the gritty documentary The Hospital: In The Deep End in 2024 on SBS, she has guest-hosted UFC Fight Week on Foxtel Sports and appeared on 10’s Have You Been Paying Attention?, Would I Lie to You, and Top Gear Australia.
Melissa continues to share her love and knowledge of all thing's food and travel in publications such as Delicious, Stellar, and Escape. Her first children’s book, A Taste Adventure was released in September 2022, and articulates the six main flavour sensations of sweet, sour, salty, bitter, spicy and umami to a whole new generation of food obsessed humans.
Melissa is eager to hang out with her grounded and intelligent bestie and treat the Race like a massive catch-up session. And while the two have yet to travel together, Leah says Melissa is the kind of person you want in your corner - equal parts wisdom and mischief, with an uncanny ability to stay grounded in chaos.
Leah’s work revolves around human behaviour and understanding why we react the way we do under pressure, how we make decisions, how we navigate uncertainty. This knowledge and experience will come in handy for duos on the Race.
