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    The Girl Who Became King

    A Memoir

    Author Melissa King
    Hardcover
    $30.00 US
    Random House Group | The Dial Press
    5-1/2"W x 8-1/4"H | 15 oz | 12 per carton
    On sale Oct 06, 2026 | 336 Pages | 9780593594872
    Add to cart Add to list Exam Copies

    From award-winning chef, author, television personality, and activist Melissa King comes an intimate, captivating memoir about family, food, and finding her voice as a queer Chinese American chef

    Growing up, Melissa King lived for the moment she would come home from school, grab her prized meat cleaver, and call her mom at work for instructions on how to prepare dinner for her family. She already knew cooking was her future, but she didn’t know just how much she’d have to fight to make that dream a reality.

    Caught between two cultures growing up, King felt like she was stuck in a box that was only getting smaller. Her Shanghainese and Cantonese heritage meant that her immigrant parents had certain expectations—none of which included going to culinary school or falling in love with women. American culture also dictated that restaurant kitchens were a man’s world. But trying to live by these rules felt like no life at all. So King broke the mold, ending up in some of the most exciting fine dining kitchens in San Francisco and finding a home in its queer community. But after relentlessly working her way up from arranging cold appetizers to manning the meat station, and embracing her multilayered identity, she began to feel the culture she all but left behind begin to pull at her.

    When she entered Top Chef as a reluctant contestant, inspired by her grandmother’s advice to follow her heart, her signature flavors—seasonal dishes melding California and Chinese cuisines—awakened and flourished as she looked to her heritage and hometown for inspiration. And being in the public eye connected her with her parents in a new way, allowing them to come to a loving mutual understanding of each other's strengths and flaws.

    In this heartfelt memoir, King shows that empowerment comes from embracing all the different ingredients that make up who she is, and believing in herself against the odds.
    “We have known and loved Melissa King, the chef, for years, but in this no-holds-barred memoir, we finally meet Melissa King, the person, with layers of heartbreak, fears, joys and triumphs that make her the singular force of nature that she is today. Essential reading for any modern-day foodie.”—Edward Lee, chef, finalist on Culinary Class Wars, and author of Bourbon Land

    “The Girl Who Became King is a must-read for anyone pursuing their dreams. What stayed with me is how honestly Melissa King traces her journey: the pressure, the contradictions, the quiet negotiations between who you’re expected to be and who you know you are. Through her food, King expresses the courage it takes to choose yourself, but she’s really doing something larger: She’s telling the story of becoming. This book is a reminder that there’s no single way to do that—only the act of doing it, of creating something true in whatever language or medium we have. And right now, that feels more important than ever.”—Jon M. Chu, director of Crazy Rich Asians and author of Viewfinder

    “The Girl Who Became King is not only a chronicle of humble beginnings and big dreams. It’s an immigrant story, a story of finding your particular identity as a queer woman, insisting on who you are while still holding grace for the imperfect people who love you. A joy to read. One can’t help but root and cheer for our chef King.”—Padma Lakshmi, New York Times bestselling author of Love, Loss, and What We Ate
    © Ashley Batz
    Melissa King is a chef, entrepreneur, television personality, activist, model, tastemaker, and author of the cookbook Cook Like a King. She is the winner of Bravo’s Top Chef: All Stars L.A. as well as winner of the Fan Favorite vote. She holds more challenge wins than any other competitor in the history of Top Chef. King has been recognized as “one of the best female chefs in San Francisco” (Thrillist) and “40 under 40: Rising Star” (FSR Magazine). Prior to Top Chef, she helmed several Michelin-starred kitchens. King lives in San Francisco and runs a business focused on partnerships and culinary experiences. View titles by Melissa King

    About

    From award-winning chef, author, television personality, and activist Melissa King comes an intimate, captivating memoir about family, food, and finding her voice as a queer Chinese American chef

    Growing up, Melissa King lived for the moment she would come home from school, grab her prized meat cleaver, and call her mom at work for instructions on how to prepare dinner for her family. She already knew cooking was her future, but she didn’t know just how much she’d have to fight to make that dream a reality.

    Caught between two cultures growing up, King felt like she was stuck in a box that was only getting smaller. Her Shanghainese and Cantonese heritage meant that her immigrant parents had certain expectations—none of which included going to culinary school or falling in love with women. American culture also dictated that restaurant kitchens were a man’s world. But trying to live by these rules felt like no life at all. So King broke the mold, ending up in some of the most exciting fine dining kitchens in San Francisco and finding a home in its queer community. But after relentlessly working her way up from arranging cold appetizers to manning the meat station, and embracing her multilayered identity, she began to feel the culture she all but left behind begin to pull at her.

    When she entered Top Chef as a reluctant contestant, inspired by her grandmother’s advice to follow her heart, her signature flavors—seasonal dishes melding California and Chinese cuisines—awakened and flourished as she looked to her heritage and hometown for inspiration. And being in the public eye connected her with her parents in a new way, allowing them to come to a loving mutual understanding of each other's strengths and flaws.

    In this heartfelt memoir, King shows that empowerment comes from embracing all the different ingredients that make up who she is, and believing in herself against the odds.

    Praise

    “We have known and loved Melissa King, the chef, for years, but in this no-holds-barred memoir, we finally meet Melissa King, the person, with layers of heartbreak, fears, joys and triumphs that make her the singular force of nature that she is today. Essential reading for any modern-day foodie.”—Edward Lee, chef, finalist on Culinary Class Wars, and author of Bourbon Land

    “The Girl Who Became King is a must-read for anyone pursuing their dreams. What stayed with me is how honestly Melissa King traces her journey: the pressure, the contradictions, the quiet negotiations between who you’re expected to be and who you know you are. Through her food, King expresses the courage it takes to choose yourself, but she’s really doing something larger: She’s telling the story of becoming. This book is a reminder that there’s no single way to do that—only the act of doing it, of creating something true in whatever language or medium we have. And right now, that feels more important than ever.”—Jon M. Chu, director of Crazy Rich Asians and author of Viewfinder

    “The Girl Who Became King is not only a chronicle of humble beginnings and big dreams. It’s an immigrant story, a story of finding your particular identity as a queer woman, insisting on who you are while still holding grace for the imperfect people who love you. A joy to read. One can’t help but root and cheer for our chef King.”—Padma Lakshmi, New York Times bestselling author of Love, Loss, and What We Ate

    Author

    © Ashley Batz
    Melissa King is a chef, entrepreneur, television personality, activist, model, tastemaker, and author of the cookbook Cook Like a King. She is the winner of Bravo’s Top Chef: All Stars L.A. as well as winner of the Fan Favorite vote. She holds more challenge wins than any other competitor in the history of Top Chef. King has been recognized as “one of the best female chefs in San Francisco” (Thrillist) and “40 under 40: Rising Star” (FSR Magazine). Prior to Top Chef, she helmed several Michelin-starred kitchens. King lives in San Francisco and runs a business focused on partnerships and culinary experiences. View titles by Melissa King

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