Melissa Madara is a witch, herbalist, storyteller and chef. They are a co-owner at Catland Books, editrix at Venefica Magazine, and the curator of Catland's private courtyard garden, where they grow a variety of medicinal, magical and poisonous plants. Melissa's work as a chef has been experimental, running the gamut from traditional french pastry to molecular gastronomy to health-focused meal planning. Their magical practice is similarly eclectic, inspired by the praxis of chaos magic, with most of their research focused on ancient religions, traditional witchcraft and plant folklore. Melissa has been featured in The New York Times, Vogue, and many other media outlets. Their writing has been published in Venefica Magazine, Susie Magazine, and Fiddler’s Green. Their work on kitchen witchcraft has been featured in Vice.
