12 June 2019

Ms Melia Ho is a second-year student at Temasek Polytechnic’s Applied Food Science and Nutrition diploma course, and also works as an intern at A*STAR’s Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences.

Her time in Temasek Polytechnic has exposed her to a number of different areas, from microbiology to food chemistry, broadening her knowledge of the subject.

As its co-founder, Melia also manages online vegan bakery, Delia.v Patisserie, which places emphasis on using natural ingredients like olive oil, unrefined sugar and fresh fruits, as well as catering for the needs of diabetic and gluten-sensitive customers.

Ms Ho secondary school life was spent poring over healthy recipes, watching YouTube cooking tutorials, and improving the nutritional contents of traditional recipes through trial and error.

“I really enjoyed seeing how different ingredients react with one another,” she says.

When these earned her a substantial following on Instagram, Ms Ho began using her account as her food photography portfolio, kick-starting her career as a freelance food photographer, and inspiring her to start Delia.v Patisserie with her sister.

Ms Ho received the Promising Young Entrepreneur Award from Temasek Polytechnic last year, and netted herself a place in the school’s Student Leadership Programme.