Melissa

Melissa Pappas, known as “Sweet Melissa Cooks,” was most recently seen on Netflix Barbecue Showdown, Season 3. She has been a food and recipe developer/content creator for 5 years. As a self-taught cook who turned to the kitchen during a period of great hardship, she has experienced firsthand the healing and uniting power of food. Her background in education and public speaking gives her the skillset to captivate even the most beginner or reluctant audience, and to connect and engage with others through humor while providing an educative experience. She enjoys creating unique, yet familiar dishes that are attainable and inspiring for any home chef. As a single mom, she also loves to create dishes that are family-, time-, and budget-friendly.

Through her own learning and exploration as a recipe developer/content creator, she has a well-rounded perspective that makes for diverse and relatable content. She creates recipes ranging from barbecue, catch-and-cook, weeknight meals, bread, baking, and everything in between. Online, she values organic growth rooted in connection and community. She also has a background as a singer/musician, and enjoys incorporating this skill into her food experiences through the creation of humorous jingles and food-related parody songs.