Welcome to
The MM Blog
Let's live deliciously! Here you'll find the very best recipes, travel guides, podcasts, videos, and wellness tips to create a healthy, beautiful joyful life.
hello gorgeous
Here’s my must-have list of kitchen essentials. Gizmos + gadgets, appliances, pots and pans, cookware, knives, and tabletop faves. For decades I’ve collected all your questions! The ones I get on social media, in DMs, emails and texts, from the blog, when I meet you or in our Secret Facebook Group. So I’ve decided to […]
Most people think of Monday as the first day of the week. But if we look at the story of creation … day 1, aka ground zero for Him was Sunday. Just like a tree needs strong roots to rise up and grow, I need a rock solid game plan to ensure the week ahead […]
I’ve spent a lot of time in the air and living out of suitcases. Nothing brings me more joy than visiting a foreign country and exploring new and exciting places and trying delicious food. But no matter where I go in the world…There are a few items you will always find in my luggage. Here’s […]
Over the years I have hosted small dinners and events that feed hundreds. I’ve cooked for Oscar winners, billionaires, Hollywood studios, friends and family. But no matter the size of the guest list, a successful party comes down to planning. I’m sharing the exact strategy I use every time I host. And I’m confident that […]
“You may have the Universe if I can have Italy” – Giuseppe Verdi Italy is the most gorgeous country in the world to travel to. I guess that is why I decided I wanted to retire there. And over the past decade, I have crisscrossed this country eating my weight in pizza. And I still […]
I have often seen parents who have a poor relationship with food and body image, pass this onto their kids. This is not the relationship with food we want to create for our children.
Peppermint Crisp is my favorite chocolate of all time. For those of you unfamiliar with it I am sharing the wikepedia definition with you… Peppermint Crisp is a milk chocolate bar filled with a multitude of thin cylinders of mint-flavored toffee. It was invented in South Africa by Wilson-Rowntree. It is common for children to […]
Charoset, haroset, or charoset (Hebrew: חֲרֽוֹסֶת [ḥărōset]) is one of the symbolic foods eaten at the Passover Seder. The word “charoset” comes from the Hebrew word cheres (חרס: clay). It is made of fruits and nuts and the color and texture are meant to resemble the mortar/mud used to make bricks when the Jews were […]
I absolutely love dried figs and dates. I think they are better than any dessert you can offer me. Like little spoons of candy… Roasting the carrots brings out the sugar and caramelizes them. The cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger make the carrots taste like spiced apple pie. This is so amazing your taste buds won’t […]
Minori is a town situated along the Amalfi coast. It is banked on one side by hills covered with amazing lemon groves that yield the lemons for making Limoncello (the famous lemon-flavored liqueur served as a digestive after meals). This salad is inspired by my time in Minori. Enjoy it with a nice glass of […]
This classic South African dish has its roots in Portugal. It gets its’ name from the Portuguese word for nail (Prego) because we literally hammer the garlic into the steaks. South Africans like it a little spicier, so I’ve added peri-peri to this version. The sauce which comes from cooking the steak and reducing the […]
I'm Melissa, your host & tour guide.
A Food Network chef, author, mamma, eternal optimist, wannabe-mermaid, spice mixologist, and “dough therapist” (yep, it’s a thing)—
I'm also the founder of Susina Cucina, the gorgeous, Italian cooking school I manifested into my reality. I’m obsessed with Aperol spritzes, travel, and mouthwatering food… especially pizza and pasta.
Ciao Bella,
enter now →
In Italy, they add work and life on to food and wine.
Win a one-week luxury trip to Tuscany
I’m dishing about all things BEAUTIFUL & DELICIOUS... Food, wine, people, places, fashion, art, culture, history—and more.
Melissima Podcast
Bellissima (Italian, adj.): to be more than pretty, a state so breathtakingly spectacular, the attracted party gets weak in the knees.
ON the mic
Listen Now →
(Okay, so this is *my* definition.)
The Magic of Italy
without the planning
Explore
Food Netwok Chef, Melissa is dishing up delicious food and a once-in-a-lifetime experience for your soul.
find out more →
The Magic of Italy
without the planning
Explore
Food Netwok Chef, Melissa is dishing up delicious food and a once-in-a-lifetime experience for your soul.
find out more →
Hands down the prettiest, do-it-yourself, easy-to-use, customizable, website templates on the internet. They look super expensive, but I promise they won't break the bank.
Tonic Site Shop
Want a site like mine?
check it out →
Don’t leave without your scoop of gelato!
My must-know secrets to turn you into a Pro Chef.
Free downlaods
Transform your food photos from blah to wow.
A life-changing meditation to manifest miracles.
FREE MEDITATION
FREE PRESETS
FREE MASTERCLASS
READ MORE →
TRAVEL
LIFESTYLE
READ MORE →
RECIPES
FRESH FROM THE BLOG
Healthy living is beautiful … That’s why it’s called“La Dolce Vita”.
READ MORE →
I’m sharing my best recipes, travel guides, and Italian secrets for longevity & aging gracefully. Discover my tips and tricks to become a Rockstar chef, my current obsessions, and tools to embrace joy, find your purpose, and live deliciously!!
HOW TO COOK MASTERCLASS
This FREE training has all my secrets to nail the basics + become a PRO in your kitchen. It's a game changer.
Get the free class
I'm simply obsessed!
Visit the shop
Wanna know the tried and tested go-tos a globetrotter and chef can’t live without? Here’s my must-have gizmos, gadgets, and essentials—all my favorite things I swear by. Plus, what I’m reading, wearing, and packing for my next trip.
@themelissamayo
For delicious recipes, travel guides, inspiration and more, join me on Instagram.