Ordering in: Pretty Japanese fusion meals

The ebi matcha sando is as tasty as it looks, delivering texural dimension and flavour in spades. — Photos: CC BY MEL

In many ways, Melanie Pong’s career trajectory has truly come full circle. A graduate of food science and nutrition, Pong’s first job actually involved researching and developing cake mixes and yeast!

Over time, she deviated from the food path after developing a blossoming interest in floral design and calligraphy. A few years ago, she started a successful online floral business. But her love of food remained and Pong set aside some space in her floral studio, with the idea of one day opening a café.