Akasha is a self-trained chef and artisan-style baker who has been cater­ing events in Los Angeles and other parts of the coun­try for over twenty years. She began her pro­fes­sional career at the Golden Temple, a now defunct but once pop­u­lar veg­e­tar­ian restau­rant in Los Angeles. It was in this kitchen that Akasha dis­cov­ered her pas­sion for mak­ing deli­cious dishes with good-for-you ingre­di­ents. After the Golden Temple she became Michael Jackson’s per­sonal and con­cert tour chef. AKASHA is her first restau­rant ven­ture, the result of a vision she has had for many years. Her cook­book HOLLYWOOD DISH includes tales of Hollywood’s 100-year pas­sion for organic foods and healthy lifestyles and sto­ries of her favorite cook­ing expe­ri­ences: mak­ing hol­i­day din­ners for Billy Bob Thornton, cater­ing par­ties for Pierce Brosnan, pro­duc­ing events at the Sundance Film Festival, and work­ing as a pri­vate chef for Barbra Streisand. She lends her time and exper­tise to groups such as Share Our Strength, Environmental Media Association, Common Threads and Pediatric Aids. She has appeared on The Food Network (The Best Thing I Ever Ate), Access Hollywood, Entertainment Tonight, Planet Green, and nation­wide news programs. Ingredients: 2 cups water 2 ounces dried porcini or other dried mushroom 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil 1 large onion, finely chopped 1 large or 2 small shallots, finely chopped 2 leeks, pale green and white parts only, cleaned, and finely chopped 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems wiped clean, trimmed and sliced 2 quarts chicken or vegetable stock 2 celery ribs, finely chopped 1 large carrot, diced 1 large parsnip, diced 1/2 cup whole barley 1 bay leaf 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves Kosher salt to taste Freshly ground black pepper to taste Chopped flat leaf parsley, for garnish Preparation: Bring the water to a boil in a 1-quart saucepan. Add the porcini mushrooms, turn off the heat and cover. Let sit for 20 minutes or until the mushrooms are soft. Drain, reserving the liquid, and finely chop the mushrooms. Heat the butter in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, shallots, and salt. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent and fragrant. Lower the heat to medium, add the leeks, and cook for another 3 minutes. Add the shiitakes and the soaked porcini and cook another 5-8 minutes, stirring often, until the mushrooms are well cooked. Add the stock, celery, carrots, parsnips, barley, bay leaf, and thyme. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Cook for one hour or until the barley is tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with the chopped parsley. This post was submitted by Akasha Richmond.