Hi! I’m Melissa and I love food.

Luckily, I get to work with food all the time as a food & product photographer, specializing in branding and design for food & lifestyle businesses.

This blog tells my food journeys through recipes, travel and meeting local food businesses in the South. I am an almost vegetarian, and the majority of the recipes that I post are vegetarian and vegan, with an occasional pescetarian recipe. The recipes on this blog are inspired by a fusion of Southern and Asian flavors, our travels and my family’s traditions.

I typically post new recipes and stories two to three times a week. To keep up with my latest posts, subscribe via RSS or Email.

If you are interested in working with me on your next photography or branding project, please contact me at melissa@melissacrane.com.

Lifelong Love Affair with Food

As the daughter of Taiwanese immigrants who settled in the mountains of Appalachia and opened a neighborhood Chinese restaurant, I was immersed into the world of food from the moment I was born. You could say that I grew up as a restaurant baby.

When I left home for college I did practically anything I could to “escape” the food service industry, but as it turns out – the love for food is in my blood. It draws me back every single time I try to get away. I’ve finally embraced it and what do you know, I love every moment of it.

With every intent of leaving the South and heading to California or New York after finishing college, I fell in love with a New York turned Alabama boy. We got married and decided to settle down in Atlanta. And I am glad we did. Atlanta is a food lover’s dream come true, with it’s amazing restaurants, small food businesses and local farms & markets.

Paul and I now live in Atlanta, Georgia with our two sweet rescue dogs, Roxie and Aubie.

If you’re new here and feel a bit overwhelmed by all the recipes, stories and posts on Dash of East, start here.

Things I Love

When I’m not busy designing away behind a computer or shooting away behind a camera, I’m usually training for my next road race, cooking up a storm in the kitchen or traveling to my next scuba diving location.

I can’t help indulging in white chocolate, white wine and Sour Patch kids. I am at my happiest when I am near the ocean, and will do just about anything to be near it.

Contact Me

Email me!  I would love to hear from you: melissa@dashofeast.com
You can also follow me on Facebook and Twitter.

Professional Memberships

Disclosure

I do not do product or descriptive writing, and will not write reviews about products and/or events that I have not personally tried or have been invited to attend.

The majority of the photographs on this blog are available for licensing, rates are based on coverage and usage, please contact me (melissa@melissacrane.com) to inquire about availability and rates.

Occasionally I will post sponsored updates from my ad network on Twitter and Facebook. These updates will always be tagged with #ad, so you will know when those specific updates are sponsored.