Akasha Richmond Akasha Richmond is one of Los Angeles' most respected women chefs and is highly skilled in several international cuisines, including Indian, Italian, Moroccan, traditional Jewish cooking and more. Her passion for organic, sustainability produced, and authentic ingredients takes her around the world to source and incorporate these ingredients into the menus at her restaurant, AKASHA.Expertise: Chef, Author, Recipe Development, Farmers' Market AdvocateExperience: A self-taught chef, Akasha Richmond has always been inspired by the cuisines encountered on the road, connecting these flavors with influences acquired during her many international culinary explorations — India, Southeast Asia, Italy, Bali, Australia, Eastern and Western Europe, and Mexico. These inspirations helped her create AKASHA, her first restaurant, which she opened with husband Alan Schulman in 2008.Akasha is the author of two cookbooks: Hollywood Dish, a book filled with experiences and recipes from her time as a personal chef to the stars, was published in 2006. Her second book, The Art of Tofu, a collection of vegetarian dishes, was published in 2012. About Food & Wine Food & Wine, a Dotdash Meredith Brand, is an award-winning online resource for anyone passionate about the culinary world. With rigorously tested recipes and the most trusted restaurant, drinks, culinary travel and home coverage, we inspire and empower people everywhere to discover, create, and devour the best in food and wine. Learn more about us and our editorial process.