Guts: A memoir of food, failure and taking impossible chances

by Melissa Leong

A gripping, incisive and darkly funny memoir from food and style icon and MasterChef Australia's first female judge, Melissa Leong.

Gold Logie-nominated TV personality and food icon Melissa Leong bites down on her demons in this searing memoir, exploring themes of abuse in the hospitality industry, racism, mental health and, for a light palate cleanser, the thrill of mouth-wateringly memorable food. Most of all, she inspires the courage to create a life you really, really want.

From Melissa Leong (aka fooderati) — the first female judge of MasterChef Australia and Dessert Masters, fashion obsessive and self-confessed contrarian - comes an evocative, sharp, darkly funny and often brutal account of what it's like to try, fail and scrape together the confidence to try again. She invites you to consider your own limiting self-beliefs ... and give them the finger.

These stories take place inside kitchens and television studios, on farms and even in an abattoir. Leong shares how her dream of being a concert pianist crumbled due to chronic pain, her struggles with racism and identity as a first-generation Singaporean Chinese woman, how blowing up her life to reset her path was maybe (definitely!) worth it, and why going your own way absolutely is.

Garnished with Leong's favourite recipes, Guts is above all a glorious love story to food, to choosing the unpredictable path and to believing in yourself even - and especially - when the odds are stacked against you.

No guts, no glory. Hope you're hungry.

Genres: Nonfiction, Audiobook, Memoir, Biography, Biography Memoir

336 pages, Paperback

Published September 30, 2025

Reviews

[Vicky · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 🌟 The book starts really well. Mel writes with honesty and insight about her past experiences and how they’ve shaped her life. Those early chapters feel generous and thoughtful.

At some point though, it shifts into more general life and mental health advice, and I found myself unsure who the book was really for? Memoir readers or self-help fans?

The mention of Pyrrole disorder gave me pause too, since it’s a pretty fringe diagnosis not widely accepted in mainstream medicine, and that section felt less grounded than the rest.

There are references to her time on MasterChef, but mostly through metaphor, which made me feel like I was missing some context. Totally fair enough for her not to go into it, but it did make parts of the story a bit opaque.

There are also moments where she refers to negative media reports about her without saying what they were. Without that context, those sections felt a bit abstract. It made me wonder if they mattered more to her than they do in reality to the wider public.

I love evocative food writing (thank you Nigel Slater), but some of the adjectives: “pillowy,” “toothsome,” “heady”, started to feel a little overused.

Overall, it left me with a sense of someone still processing how she’s been perceived, maybe externalising a bit of her perfectionism. It’s heartfelt and often beautifully written, just uneven in tone and focus.

(And for anyone listening to the audiobook, there’s an odd glitch in Chapter 12 where two voices overlap.)

[Amanda Vaughan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked Melissa Leong on Masterchef and was interested to know more about her. At first the book delivered with some childhood and early career details but then it lost coherence, mainly offering a lot of self help advice and circling back to the same points over and over again. No one has to write a memoir, but if you do, surely it should reveal more than that you are a private person!

[Melissa Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore Melissa Leong, and it’s not just because we both share a name. And have Singaporean heritage. And are foodies. And are writers. And like to reference Gilmore Girls. Okay, we have a lot in common. But I preordered her memoir as soon as it was announced and I loved every bit of it. It’s soulful, sharp and beautifully written — equal parts feast and reflection.

[Claire]

I don’t love to rate a memoir that I haven’t loved. This one didn’t really work for me. It felt like it wasn’t sure what kind of memoir it wanted to be. A bit too much self help vibes for me.

[Penny Quotes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gosh this was such a beautiful memoir! I went to Melissa Leong’s book tour recently and she’s a delight. She always came across on TV as articulate and intelligent, and that’s consistent in her book too. You can hear her voice throughout these pages. Highly highly recommend. If you ever read this Mel, you’re an inspiration ✨

[Jen McElroy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmm - started off strong, and is beautifully written. But devolves into pretty opaque generalised musings and self-help advice, generally feel that memoirs should be more specific (otherwise why write them at all?)

[Melody | Spilt Wine Book Club · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guts by Melissa Leong is a masterclass (hehe) in sharing while not overindulging (wow the food metaphors keep comin’). Chronicling her life from childhood into her early twenties and the beginning of her ever-evolving career path, Leong takes us on a journey of food, relationships and finding herself. Interwoven throughout her story are memories of the moments, meals and people that shaped her, as well as the career and life-defining decisions she has made along the way.

What stood out to me the most was not her career highlights — though there are many — but her journey within herself: how she’s coped with abuse, illness, mental health struggles and the desire to pack it all up when she senses something’s not quite right.
I also loved her journey into, and eventual landing in, living and embracing life as a single woman. The comfortability and joy in doing things alone, whether it be dining, living or travelling, is inspiring! And something I deeply believe every woman should get to experience.

Leong has a way with words, and her ability to bring sensations, smells, feelings and memories to life was stunning on MasterChef and is equally stunning here. Sprinkled with recipes, honesty, humour and pearls of wisdom, this felt like a true embodiment of its title.

[Morgan]

I enjoyed this memoir, but I will admit that I'm not the intended audience for the hunting/meat-heavy eating sections - they are graphic and gruesome, and for someone who has made the decision to not eat animals it was quite intense. The sharp shift from retelling an experience learning to skin a rabbit into a story about her dog becoming injured and the grief associated with that truly made no sense to me. However, I really enjoyed the sections which force you to question culture in Australia and the importance of giving voice to diverse communities.

[Nadia Myers · Rating 2 out of 5]

as much as I wanted to like this book, it just wasn't gutsy. it feels like a self help book and is vague and insubstantial in the learnings she is trying to convey. I like my memoirs to be deep and personal and this is at arms reach.

[Kate McElligott · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 🌟

What I do love about Melissa (and always have), is her indisputable ability to write such vivid and poetic scenes. I’ve always enjoyed her food descriptions through her work on Masterchef. I’m not sure where this one fell flat for me- it just didn’t hit exactly as I thought I would. An easy read 😊

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Valerie, a bookeater]

I love you Melissa Leong. Thank you for articulating so much of your wisdom, story and experiences. I felt seen in many instances. This was the guts!

[lum琳]

she gives off older, overachieving sister that kinda goes off the rails in the best way possible because she's out here living her most authentic life and i love that for her and wish we would all stop settling as a society bc maybe that's why some of us are so miserable :^)

[Nyree Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beside the abattoir chapter, I loved this memoir.

[Grace Chen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gifted by my mother-in-law and probably one of the most lovely reads of this year. She’s who I wanna be when I grow up haha

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Melissa is obviously a very strong woman and this books is about how she’s deals with adversity. Don’t expect an in-depth discussion of MasterChef or her relationships.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Badass childfree women doing badass childfree things.
Loved the integrity and determination throughout this, blended with those tasty foody, tie in recipes.

What a boss.

[sophie.morgan175 · Rating 1 out of 5]

Perhaps wasn’t the target audience for this one, but the way it jumped around made it really difficult to attach to the story being told

[Gemimah · Rating 2 out of 5]

This could have been a Linkedin post? This PR vehicle reads like Meghan Markle's lifestyle blog and spends more time name dropping than illustrating any interesting life excerpts. There's a skill issue with the writing and the editing, embarrassing considering her career history which the reader is constantly reminded of. She keeps everything super vague and swaddled in self justification, there is a palpable need to frame the narrative and tell the reader what to think. She hits on her own problem when saying "I could break down every single moment and tell you how I interpret it all, but the fact is I've relived every minute a million times since then." So much of this book feels like a story told half heartedly the million and first time.

Food/travel memoir is my favourite genre. Leong has all the ingredients but fails to draw the reader into the weeds of the moment and cough up those sweet slice-of-life details that make living vicariously through someone else so intoxicating and inspiring. She says the world doesn't need another white woman writing about basic elements of her culture, maybe so, but I don't think the world needs another average food writer instructing how to make pork dumplings and offering home cooked, half baked self help advice.

As enjoyable as having a catch up with your self involved friend who likes all the right things, says all the right things, and loves to lecture you for your own self improvement.

[Nicola Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

💬 “It’s hard to describe, but there’s a certain feeling I’ve had each time I’ve stood on the cusp of blowing up a perfectly good life … It’s temporary insanity, to be sure. But then the dust settles, and I realise if I hadn’t cleared the path, there would be no room for a life that fits me better.”

🍽️ WOW! As a *lifelong* MasterChef stan, I was itching to dive into this memoir and get ALL the tea from the former judge and host. But what Leong did, cleverly, was instead tell stories of her Singaporean Chinese upbringing in Australia, all the side quest careers that preceded, and both the epic fails and personal wins that have nothing to do with television or even cooking. Her MasterChef fame only forms a tiny chapter of not just the book, but her life, so getting let in on this was intimate and eye-opening. No tabloid behind-the-scenes gossip here, because after all, she’s her own person and talent outside of this era – and was for decades.

🥩 Leong by trade is a food writer and that really shines here. Her storytelling is drool-worthy, spicy, and balanced. The way she shares recipes throughout the memoir that pair with key milestones and memories in her life is really special.

🍦 I really enjoyed this one – from batsh*t anecdotes to hard truths and older sister advice, it has left a delicious mark.

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a huge Masterchef Australia fan and so elated a woman was a part of the judging table, so no surprise there when Melissa Leong announced the launch of her memoir, I jumped at the very second I could get my hands on this book.

The book is titled ‘Guts’ and yet I found it far from being gutsy not do I find the contents in this book particularly warming to the gut as well. Kudos to her for all her achievements but this book offered no depth into those achievements and funnily enough, when she summarised her marriage as a ‘should’, so is the publishing of this memoir.

I found some bits a great read and the food vocabulary is fantastic but it is also laced with a lot of humble bragging and let’s face it, gets a tad tired after a while.

The recipes in the book are also a nice touch, very Stanley Tucci of her to add her jazz to it but unless one is a novice cook or hid from the internet, it does scream basic and the peanut sauce she has in her book, well, as a fellow South East Asian- it is rather abysmal.

Overall, not a bad read while sipping on coffee but not one that captures the guts.

[Sonali Dabade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Allen & Unwin for the gifted copy <3

Melissa Leong was a judge on Masterchef Australia from 2020-2023, something that thrust her into the spotlight and made the world fall in love with her judging style, something that had kindness and compassion as its foundation.

In Guts, we see everything that came before, and everything that came after this experience for her, how everything that she has done has shaped her, and why she does what she does. More than anything, we see her confidence reflect off of the pages, some of it seeping into your own mindset through her words.

Speaking of words, there are places where it can get TOO self-help-y. And even though it was something that irked me now and again, in hindsight, I know that I would prefer reading and learning things from someone’s lived experience like Melissa’s.

So if you’re looking for a memoir, let Guts be your pick!

[Tania · Rating 2 out of 5]

For a memoir, this book is very light on details, which makes you question what was the point of this book. Skipping many facts and events in this book, Melissa Leong instead focuses on her feelings at different stages of her life, so the memoir felt a bit "dear diary" like. The book doesn't follow any logical order of events, so I felt like it jumped all over the place, but perhaps that didn't matter because whether it was pre or post Masterchef, it's clear that Melissa Leong has struggled with mental health issues throughout her whole life. This made her "advice" throughout the book a bit laughable because, as her life still seems quite chaotic, I don't think any of us would want to take any life advice from her. I didn't expect this but, after finishing the book, I liked her less.

[Nicole Viljoen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️
Really enjoyed aspects of this book. I love hearing people’s stories and getting a glimpse of life through their eyes. I felt like the books didn’t follow any kind of order or direction which made it a bit harder to get into. I would’ve liked it if it was in chronological order or broken up into more specific themes. There were no juicy stories of her time on Masterchef which was interesting given it’s a memoir. Learning about her through this book I can kind of understand why she didn’t spend much time on that part of her life- she’s a private person. It was a good book. I’m pleased I read it but wouldn’t necessarily recommend it.

[Nick Iwan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had a pretty rough year of unfinished books, so I was really wanting to bring in the new year with something decent. Personally, Mel is among the coolest people I wish I knew, so I expected her book to be great — and it was. Her natural articulation and storytelling made it really easy to read, but more importantly, made me want to keep reading. I found it super motivating and comforting. It’s the perfect book for someone in a bit of a rut, at a crossroads, or feeling unsure about life decisions. It really emphasises that everyone is genuinely on their own path.

[Issyd23 · Rating 5 out of 5]

DO NOT READ THIS BOOK ON AN EMPTY STOMACH 5🍲

Leong bares all in this candid memoir and makes me cry which is an automatic 5⭐ in my book.

My first time reading her writing I can tell why she's a successful food writer/critic, the way she writes about food has me salivating!

Having just read Lukas Gage's memoir I wonder if Leong has a touch of the BPD (she regularly blows up her life by moving to another city, quiting her job, breaking up with her partners, getting engaged and married after 6 months of meeting someone and her history cutting, suicide and mental health struggles).

[Dimity Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Raw, gritty, spicy, satisfying, memorable - just like one of the many dishes Melissa garnishes her memoir with. It was everything I expected and then some. I love the fluid speak and compelling delivery this lady employs to deliver (some of) her inner most feels. It takes some guts and even more balls along with buckets of gravitas to articulate so humbly and so eloquently with such razar sharp unapolgetic conviction. I love that! Full marks for relatablility (for me in spades!) and respect.

[Jelena Ramadza · Rating 3 out of 5]

​I pushed myself to finish Guts, but I cannot recommend it. The book suffers from a distracting lack of consistency, often presenting contradictory advice and philosophies that make it difficult to find a cohesive message.

The most significant part (for me) was the slaughterhouse experience. While I expected honesty, the graphic nature of this part of the book was genuinely terrifying and felt unnecessarily visceral. It crossed the line from "eye-opening" to "traumatizing".

[Fofi Meehan · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with many Aussies, Melissa Leong came onto my radar when she joined MasterChef as a judge. There is no doubt that Melissa can write and has the gift of bringing food and situations to life so you feel like you are actually there. I found this book to be raw, authentic and really sassy and I really loved it.

[Jan Lancaster · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author writes about her background and in the process discusses mental health, race, marriage and burnout.
It was interesting to read how she found her way to a career she enjoys and a life she is comfortable with.
It was not a bad read but I wasn't always engaged, perhaps due to her private nature.