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Akasha Richmond joins Charles Thomson for a journey into the culinary and travel side of Michael Jackson’s life, as she relays stories from her years working for The King of Pop as his personal and concert tour chef.
Akasha met Michael Jackson in the early 1980s, when she and Mani Niall worked at the Golden Temple, a vegetarian restaurant in Los Angeles. Mani became Jackson’s first personal chef, while Akasha was hired for special dinner parties, including events at Hayvenhurst with guests such as Elizabeth Taylor, Gregory Peck, Sophia Loren, and more. Eventually, Akasha also started stepping in as Jackson’s chef when he traveled, when Mani was not available.
Akasha began traveling the world regularly with Jackson, cooking for him all across Europe, Asia, Australia, and beyond. She worked on both the BAD and the HIStory tours, and her mandate was to always keep The King of Pop healthy, with his favorite Mexican dishes and comfort food – always spicy!
Not only did Akasha develop a deep friendship with Michael Jackson, but she got to see the world, and developed a love of travel, during her years of touring. In this chat, she shares amazing memories, insights into Jackson’s life, and discusses how her experiences eventually led her to found a beloved LA restaurant, Akasha, and also, more recently, to start a food-focused travel company, Travel by Akasha.
This episode was edited by Charlie Carter.
Additional Links
• Akasha’s Culver City restaurant.
• Akasha’s travel company.
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