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Jasmine and Melissa Hemsley are British chefs and operators of Hemsley + Hemsley, a London-based company dedicated to creating and providing healthy, organic foods.

Early Life

The Hemsley sisters grew up in Surbiton, a suburban of London, England. They were born to an English father, who served as an army officer, and a Filipino mother. Jasmine began modeling at age 19 and was featured in advertising for Marks & Spencer, Olay and the Body Shop, and Mercedes. Following her 18th birthday, Melissa spent time working in marketing and sales.

Hemsley + Hemsley

Inspiration

Jasmine credits her modeling period, which lasted over 15 years, as the catalyst to her and Melissa becoming interested in health. "I could really feel the difference between foods that made me bloated and others that didn't," she said in a 2014 interview with Telegraph. "It's a horrid feeling." The Hemsley sisters claim to be passionate about wanting to neutralize the bloating of dishes in the former group. "We love the challenge of reworking [readers' and clients'} favorite recipes to make them healthier and nutrient dense," explained the sisters in Deliciously Ella. They refer to their recipes as "reworked comfort foods," stressing that they are providing nourishing alternatives for their clients' junk foods of choice.

Formation

After doing significant research on healthy eating and living, the Hemsleys formed Hemsley + Hemsley in 2010. Jasmine and Melissa first began offering cooking lessons to friends and shortly attracted an unnamed actor as their first Hollywood client. The sisters later started a blog and, in April 2012, began contributing recipes to British Vogue with their own food column.

Operations

Jasmine and Melissa continue to serve as private chefs for rock and film stars, as well as other clients. Several of their recipes can be found on their website, which doubles as a blog.

Publications

In 2014, the Hemsleys published The Art of Eating Well, their first cookbook, through powerHouse Books. The book was nominated for Book of the Year in the 2014 National Book Awards. The sisters are currently working on their second book.