CHEF AKASHA
Akasha Richmond, renowned chef, caterer, and author of “Hollywood Dish,” has enjoyed decades long success at her popular namesake restaurant, AKASHA, in Los Angeles, an everyday restaurant with healthful comfort food and an appealing urban vibe.
Meaning “ether”, one of the five elements in Ayurvedic and yogic philosophy, Akasha settled into the life of a chef quite by accident and has flourished in this role to become one of Los Angeles's celebrated culinary names.
An accomplished artist and painter, her career pivoted when she landed a summer job in the kitchen at L.A.’s Golden Temple, a popular vegetarian restaurant frequented by celebrities, and there discovered her true passion for cooking. Soon after, Akasha became Michael Jackson's longtime personal and concert tour chef, developing a deep friendship with the music icon that lasted until his untimely death.
Akasha is inspired by world cuisine and has traveled to India, Southeast Asia, North Africa, Italy, Portugal, Europe, and Mexico. The menus at AKASHA reflect her love of global flavors. Along with her vast travels, Akasha's cooking is an expression of her upbringing of passionate Russian immigrant grandparents and American parents, who taught her not only how to properly follow the structure of a recipe, but also to embrace personal freedom and respect her senses to create an exceptional dish unique to her sensibilities
