Michael Jackson's Private Chefs Reveal His Favorite Spicy Enchilada

Akasha Richmond and Mani Niall, both of whom served as private chefs for Michael Jackson, revealed the pop icon's preferred meal: a smoky, spicy enchilada from the Golden Temple restaurant in Los Angeles. Jackson first encountered this vegetarian eatery in the early 1980s while working on his Thriller album. The dish, known as Enchiladas with New Mexican Red Chile Sauce, was reinvented by Niall and Richmond. Niall was Jackson's initial private chef during the Victory Tour and continued for a year, while Richmond prepared meals for him intermittently over 14 years, concluding in 1996. The enchilada gained popularity among other stars, including Paul and Linda McCartney, who tasted it while collaborating with Jackson on "The Girl Is Mine." In 2010, the chefs showcased the dish at a dinner called "MJ's Greatest Bites" at Richmond's Akasha Restaurant in Culver City, marking the first anniversary of Jackson's passing.