A certified sake and wine professional, she writes about drinking in Japan in her column for The Japan Times, covers restaurants in Asia for The Wall Street Journal, and is Gourmet Magazine Sweden's Tokyo correspondent. Her work has been translated into four languages and has appeared in numerous publications such as Newsweek and CNN, the UK Guardian, and SCMP Style Magazine. She travels extensively and has been invited to speak at major gastronomic events around the world. Since 2012, she has judged sake and wine at London’s International Wine Challenge. Melinda is the Asia Panel Chairperson for FOUR Magazine's Rising Stars Award, which recognizes emerging culinary talent in the Asia-Australia region.