Amelia Ferrier’s world is a bold one. Full of big flavours, never before seen recipes, and plenty of projects on the fly, her day-to-day is as colourful as the content dotting her cult-status Instagram, @melies_kitchen.
Now that she’s self-employed as a full-time recipe creator, lucky us, her time in the kitchen is much more than a content pillar. It’s a full-sh’bang lifestyle.
With work, life and play now blending into one, recharging for Ferrier takes on a different flavour. To dive a bit deeper into what this might look like, in partnership with the summer sip-loving legends at The Real McCoy, we sat down over a virtual beverage, to find out what fuels her creativity, her rituals for meaningful downtime and how she navigates the hustle of content creation.
Want to slow down in style like Ferrier? Grab your favourite The Real McCoy juice and start by shaking up your ultimate summer sip. Drink Responsibly 18+.
This article is sponsored by The Real McCoy and proudly endorsed by The Urban List. To find out more about who we work with and why read our editorial policy here.
When the saying “once bitten, twice shy” was coined—the creators didn’t take Louis Hanson into account.
A writer, actor, and comedian, Hanson is never one to shy away from an unplanned adventure, which is exactly how he found himself being ghosted by a man in Sydney—who’d done the exact same thing twice before.
I mean, why not? It's hard out here. You have to really take the chances when they come. And he was also really hot.”
Hanson made the most of it—booking into the Ace Hotel and soaking it in. “As it turns out, the hotel room was incredible to enjoy by myself. I was on the bed. I’m in the hotel robe. I’m raiding the snack bar and some of the drinks—as you would.”
Refreshingly, the recipe writing comes after filming—usually between mouthfuls of the very dish she’s just made for lunch. “I cook it, keep the recipe in my head, then write it down and tweak it afterwards—I have to do it then and there,” she laughs. It’s a masterclass in ditching perfectionism and diving straight in, ducks be damned.
That same playful energy carries through to her off-camera cooking, too. Another round in the kitchen is her way to switch off and stave off burnout. “I still try to cook every night for my partner Jack and me,” Ferrier says. “It helps take the load off.”
“With all this time dedicated to Melie’s Kitchen, I can get really in my head about cooking otherwise. I find myself thinking, “is this recipe unique enough?” Cooking for what you think the audience will want, not what I want is when you get into a rut and feel like you’ve got no ideas.”
It’s proof in the pudding that play is productive for creatives. With the pressure off, Ferrier admits her best work is unearthed—something that we can all take into our lives.
“My best dishes can come from casual dinnertime cooking. I’ll think, oh that was yummy! And then I’ll turn that into a recipe for Instagram.”
Editor’s note: This article is sponsored by a2 Milk™ by Anchor™ and proudly endorsed by The Urban List. To find out more about who we work with and why read our editorial policy here.
To join Wright in recreating nostalgic noms and finding connection through food, pick up a fresh bottle of a2 Milk™ by Anchor™ and some of your favourite Kiwi pantry staples and hit the family kitchen.
By Maisie Gray
Flying
A daily structure—with some wiggle room—sets the scene for Ferrier’s creativity. “I set my alarm early and stick to it. Now
that I’m self-employed, I want to keep that structure.”
“On a Monday I’ll plan out my week, double-checking deadlines.
I start each day with a pause for coffee, check my emails before launching into a morning of cooking and filming.”
Then, it’s show-time: a morning dedicated to shooting and tinkering.
Food Creator And Culture Curator:
1 December 2025
FEATURE
I usually spend about 5 hours filming one recipe—even a simple one. That’s a typical day for me.
When she feels a creative slump coming on, Ferrier gives herself a little challenge—whipping up a meal using whatever’s left in the fridge, strictly no supermarket runs allowed. More often than not, it’s these off-the-cuff creations that spark her best ideas.
When it comes to winding down after a big day, Ferrier keeps it deliciously simple: a tall, elegant glass filled with ice and a generous pour of The Real McCoy Apple Juice. “It makes it linger longer,” she says. But for those extra-special moments, Ferrier heads to the kitchen to craft one of her signature Sicilian Orange & Amaretto Margaritas—her “ultimate 5pm treat” for when the evening calls for something a little more.
Fast friends over a shared love
of backyard hangs, arvo spritzes, and perfectly curated picky bits, Ava Wardecki caught up with culinary creative and all-round ray of sunshine, Amelia Ferrier, to chat about what it really takes to live that full-time recipe creator life.
Amelia Ferrier’s Guide To Hustle, Downtime, And Slowing Down In Style
My 5pm clock off beverage is something I look forward to throughout the day—whether it is enjoyed with me, myself and I as I prepare dinner, or on a Friday on the deck with my closest friends. To me this is slowing down in style.
Once refreshed from her creation, this long-tail approach spills over into Ferrier’s way of choosing which new creative projects she’ll take on. “For me, it’s important to choose projects that I’m proud of looking back on and feel accomplished for a long while.”
In today’s fast-paced world, delaying instant gratification or removing things you feel you “should” do is part of career self care.
Speaking of self-care, it tells us about the power of choosing just one ritual—a massage—to recharge. That way, she says, your schedule doesn’t feel too overloaded. “I’ve always been inclined to be busy,” she admits, so one choice of self care keeps things simple.
As alluded to earlier, a non-negotiable on Ferrier’s schedule is a weekly gathering with friends.
It all kicked off when the invite for a close friend’s wedding came through. Together with his wife, Sarah, and their two kids, Malik and Lyon, they packed up the car and headed out to Dungog in regional NSW—a small country town tucked away in the Hunter Region. It’s a spot known for its lush landscapes, historic streets, outdoor adventures, and slower pace of life.
For Fahd, It was a welcome chance to take a brief hiatus from their hectic life in the city, and slow things down just a notch. “We booked with Wotif to stay at this beautiful little cottage at the top of a hill. As we arrived, there were kangaroos everywhere, including one that had a tiny joey in its pouch.”
Having travelled first with older son Malik, and now with Lyon, Fahd’s got family trips nailed—and he’s got tips.
The night-time wind-down is where I most love cooking: because it’s not for any specific thing, persona or a camera. It’s cooking for the pure enjoyment of it.
Every Friday, I try to put something in the calendar to see friends. Knowing it’s there gives me something to look forward to, and that thought keeps me balanced.
On the other hand, Sundays for Ferrier are firmly off-limits. “I’ll do nothing on Sunday, not even go out for brekkie. It’s hanging out with Jack and Thai takeaways—simple,” she notes.
This mindset, Ferrier says, has been key to carving out her creative groove each week. When we asked what advice she’d give to anyone chasing a culture-first, creative life, her answer was refreshingly simple: “Try to highlight a point of difference. That will be part of your success.”
My food is weekend food—not quick after-work fixes—and I’m okay with that.
“Getting clear on that helps me build momentum I can pour back into both my work and myself. It’s just part of who I am.”
Melie’s Kitchen is proof that work and play don’t have to live in separate worlds. With a dash of structured play, a few intentional reset moments, and a clear sense of what makes you, you, the creative flow comes naturally.
And of course, a cold glass of The Real McCoy doesn’t hurt either. So grab a pretty glass, shake yourself Melie’s Sicilian Orange & Amaretto Margarita, and toast to keeping those creative juices flowing—from work to play and every little moment in between.
We’ll cheers to that.
The night-time wind-down is where I most love cooking: because it’s not for any specific thing, persona or a camera. It’s cooking for the pure enjoyment of it.
Refreshingly, the recipe writing comes after filming—usually between mouthfuls of the very dish she’s just made for lunch. “I cook it, keep the recipe in my head, then write it down and tweak it afterwards—I have to do it then and there,” she laughs. It’s a masterclass in ditching perfectionism and diving straight in, ducks be damned.
That same playful energy carries through to her off-camera cooking, too. Another round in the kitchen is her way to switch off and stave off burnout. “I still try to cook every night for my partner Jack and me,” Ferrier says. “It helps take the load off.”
I usually spend about 5 hours filming one recipe—even a simple one. That’s a typical day for me.
On the other hand, Sundays for Ferrier are firmly off-limits. “I’ll do nothing on Sunday, not even go out for brekkie. It’s hanging out with Jack and Thai takeaways—simple,” she notes.
This mindset, Ferrier says, has been key to carving out her creative groove each week. When we asked what advice she’d give to anyone chasing a culture-first, creative life, her answer was refreshingly simple: “Try to highlight a point of difference. That will be part of your success.”
Every Friday, I try to put something in the calendar to see friends. Knowing it’s there gives me something to look forward to, and that thought keeps me balanced.
