When New American eatery Akasha first opened in Culver City seven years ago, many diners were drawn more by the chef’s celebrity connections than her cooking cred. That’s because Akasha Richmond worked for many years as the personal chef for Michael Jackson—and who doesn’t want to eat like the King of Pop? But Richmond quickly won a loyal following—at the restaurant and on Instagram—for Akasha’s colorfully plated, seasonal dishes. Now she’s branching out into Indian cuisine with Sambar, which opened near Akasha in downtown Culver City. Richmond smartly merges her ingredients-driven philosophy with traditional cooking methods and spices from the subcontinent. Expect sweet and savory sev puri chaat appetizers made with teff-based puris, green mango, avocado, and pomegranate-mint chutney, along with a goat curry that mixes local sustainable meat with authentic spices sourced from afar.
When New American eatery Akasha first opened in Culver City seven years ago, many diners were drawn more by the chef’s celebrity connections than her cooking cred. That’s because Akasha Richmond worked for many years as the personal chef for Michael Jackson—and who doesn’t want to eat like the King of Pop? But Richmond quickly won a loyal following—at the restaurant and on Instagram—for Akasha’s colorfully plated, seasonal dishes. Now she’s branching out into Indian cuisine with Sambar, which opened near Akasha in downtown Culver City. Richmond smartly merges her ingredients-driven philosophy with traditional cooking methods and spices from the subcontinent. Expect sweet and savory sev puri chaat appetizers made with teff-based puris, green mango, avocado, and pomegranate-mint chutney, along with a goat curry that mixes local sustainable meat with authentic spices sourced from afar.
