Michael Jackson's First Private Chef Remembers King of Pop

The Jacksons performing on stage at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, during the Victory Tour, July 8, 1984. Image by Larry Davis, Los Angeles Times via Wikimedia Commons (license)

BY MANI NIALL

I was chopping fresh ginger and crushing cardamom pods for a pot of chai when the manager of our busy yet run-down vegetarian restaurant in Los Angeles’ Fairfax district pulled me aside with what would become a life changing comment, “Michael Jackson came in last night. He loves our food, he’s a vegetarian now and wants someone to deliver to the studio where he’s hunkered down on a new album. I think you should do it because it falls under catering…”

The next time Michael Jackson called, I dropped off his requested red chile enchilada, our popular ginger-miso salad and blueberry bars at Quincy Jones’ Westlake studios and was handed a cool $40 by the secretary. Not bad for an $18 order, at least in 1982 dollars. When MJ made that call during the Thriller recording sessions, I was the kitchen and catering manager at our cult run restaurant, the Golden Temple.

The restaurant staff wore knee length white robes, moved at a meditative snail’s pace and had odd, hard to pronounce names. None of that mattered to Michael or the scores of Hollywood types that frequented the place - I routinely saw Demi Moore and Lily Tomlin at the all-day salad bar, served with hearty soups, honey millet cornbread and endless mugs of that authentic chai, aka yogi tea - we knew how to cook!

*Mani Niall and Michael Jackson; Mani’s ‘Ookies, which were MJ’s favorite cookies (Photos courtesy of Mani Niall)*

Within weeks I was delivering food to the studio, to photo shoots, even cooking in Michael’s home. I quickly realized his favorite was a smoky red chile sauce from New Mexico, slathered over enchiladas, nachos and potato skins. I cooled it all down with honey vanilla ice cream and cookies. Just months into our acquaintance, I made dinner for Michael in the condo he was renting while the family home on Hayvenhurst was under renovation. He finished up and began to serenade me, “See, you feed me, and I sing,” he chuckled as if he were embarrassed. Then he launched into “Here, There and Everywhere” from Revolver and ended it by asking “Do you like The Beatles? “Of course” I replied. Well, Paul will be here next week. He and Linda are vegetarian, can you bring us lunch in the studio?”

I played it cool, but inside I was bubbling over. I set the cheese blistered pan in the sudsy water to soak and put my hands on the beige Formica countertop, turning to gape at him; my life would never be the same.

Michael later asked me to go on tour following the release of the Thriller album, but it was delayed an entire year, during which he released the video for the song Thriller, which pushed his career even further into the stratosphere. He got so busy, I was seeing him less and less as he simply called the restaurant for to go orders rather than having me come cook a hot meal for him on site.

I was doing daily affirmations and even chanting for him to call… I will go on the Victory Tour! I will be Michael Jackson’s first private chef!

Finally, it happened; Michael’s private jet would be taking off from a hangar in Burbank and I was offered the job. He was heading to Birmingham, Alabama for some final rehearsals before the official kick off in Kansas City on July, 6, 1984. I had just a few days to gather everything I would need to feed MJ on the road; two suitcases filled with a food processor, an old-fashioned cylindrical ice cream maker (the kind that needs ice and kosher salt), a popcorn popper, herbs, spices, a canister of French sea salt, a recipe box, knives and tools. Plus, a bulk bag of the New Mexican red chile powder that I would use at every stop on the 5 ½ month Victory Tour.

When I first met Michael Jackson, my work at the Golden Temple restaurant was just a job, but he saw something more in me, a talent and skill that he was generous enough to nurture. 40 years ago this summer, my real journey as a chef - and baker and cookbook author - truly began, all thanks to MJ.

About the Author

Mani Niall was Michael Jackson’s first private chef from 1982-85, during which time Niall would occasionally do the moonwalk, badly, just to make the singer laugh. Follow him on Instagram and TikTok @mjchefmani

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