MEET
MELISSA KING
Award-Winning Chef & Restaurateur
ABOUT MELISSA
Trailblazing chef, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Melissa King is a proud Chinese American and queer chef who is also a creative entrepreneur outside of the kitchen. King (she/they) is the winner of Bravo’s Top Chef All-Stars: Los Angeles (Season 17) and the winner of All-Star’s Fan Favorite. With more challenge wins than any other competitor in the history of Top Chef, King has gone on to serve as a culinary judge on the series as well as The Food Network’s The Julia Child Challenge. Known for her technical precision and ability to blend modern California cuisine with Asian flavors, King has helmed several Michelin starred kitchens in San Francisco and has cooked for notable figures such as Oprah Winfrey and Al Gore, and curated the menu for the 2022 Met Gala alongside Anna Wintour.
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Called on as a creative consultant for companies around the world, Chef King is a sought-after motivational speaker supporting women’s empowerment, sustainability, food education, and entrepreneurship.
King has been recognized as “one of the best female chefs in San Francisco,” and was named FSR Magazine’s “40 Under 40: Rising Star.” They authored Cook Like a King: Recipes from My California Chinese Kitchen and founded a company focused on partnerships and culinary experiences. King also launched a brand of small-batched sauces called King Sauce, an apparel line, and virtual cooking classes. Chef King is passionate about cultural inclusivity, media representation, environmental sustainability, and social justice – working with groups such as Stop AAPI Hate, The Trevor Project, and World Central Kitchen, among others. She is the face of IBM Research’s “5 in 5” series, focused on five innovations that will change our lives within five years. King is a featured chef in the Williams-Sonoma’s Chefs’ Collective. They have performed at food & music festivals from Coachella, Outsidelands, BottleRock, and more, and spoken for groups including Google, Facebook, Chase, and Capital One.
Entertainment and Lifestyle
Health & Wellness
TAGS & EXPERTISE
Food & Culinary • Wellness • Nutrition • Entertainment • Television • Creativity • Storytelling • Leadership • Entrepreneurship
SPEAKING TOPICS
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Award winning chef MELISSA KING offers audiences an experience they'll never forget. Audiences cook along with Chef King while chatting about the social issues she is passionate about. It is a program that allows guests to create something beautiful and delicious at home while inspiring them to create change and equity in our society and in our communities.
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In this talk, Chef MELISSA KING shares her story and the work she is doing in support of marginalized communities, including the LGBTQI community of which she is a proud member.
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Chef MELISSA KING is a vocal advocate for women and girls and serves as an example of how passion, determination, and a belief in one's own skills are the essential ingredients to female empowerment. She’s delivered talks on the theme of female empowerment to groups such as Lululemon, Girl Venture, Slow Foods x Airbnb, and Amber Collective.
FEATURED BOOKS
FEATURED VIDEOS
Testimonials