Michael Jackson Loved This Cult-Run Restaurant In The '80s

The King of Pop was known for his distinct, at times outlandish, tastes — who can forget his penchant for buying life-size superhero figurines, among other things — and so it seems strangely fitting that his favorite Los Angeles dinner spot just so happened to be run by a cult. Golden Temple, a celebrity-packed vegetarian restaurant at the forefront of the 1980s health food movement, was an offshoot of the "3HO" Happy, Healthy, Holy Organization that racked up some pretty serious allegations in the 2000s, and became a go-to eatery for Michael Jackson while recording "Thriller." The pop star was so enamored by the restaurant's food that he eventually employed two of its chefs, Mani Niall and Akasha Richmond, as his own private cooks.

As recounted by Niall on a "California Eating" blogpost, Jackson — who had a brief stint with vegetarianism in the 1980s — fell for one of the restaurant's distinct culinary creations: his spicy red chile enchilada (for any veggie enchilada lovers, we have our very own recipe for a delicious plant-forward take on the dish). But it wasn't his only favorite order from the spot: He also loved its blueberry bars and ginger-miso salad, which would routinely be delivered to the studio as he recorded the 1982 hit album. The Golden Temple itself ended up getting a nod in "Michael," the recent biopic of the King of Pop — much to Richmond's surprise.

LA is known for its incredible food scene and seemingly endless selection of restaurants, many of which have become haunts for the A-list glitterati looking for a bite to eat — or simply a refuge from the omnipresent paparazzi. In the 1980s, Golden Temple was one such spot. Located in the Beverly Grove neighborhood of the city — near Erewhon grocery store, another (expensive) celebrity mecca – it had clients ranging from Demi Moore to Lily Tomlin – although Jackson was clearly its biggest star customer.

The restaurant's ambiance wouldn't have necessarily betrayed its Hollywood appeal: A 1986 article on the Los Angeles Times described the Golden Temple's decor as "nondescript," bar its trompe l'oeil mural and "various painted images of swamis and saints."The menu was eclectic in inspiration, ranging from lima bean soups, East Asian-inspired salads, Punjabi curries, Maghrebi kebabs, and, of course, Jackson's own beloved spicy enchiladas: a reflection of 3HO's ethos, a community that still emphasizes the use of yoga and whole foods as a spiritual practice in and of itself.

The King of Pop's relationship with the Golden Temple, however, would be relatively short-lived. The restaurant, which had opened other branches, closed in the 1990s, and the 3HO was eventually marred with controversy: founder-guru Yogi Bajan — who died in 2004 — was accused of abuse of power and a range of sexual crimes, culminating in the release of a 2024 HBO documentary, "Breath of Fire," which chronicled the allegations. Jackson himself also seemed to have abandoned vegetarianism — a 2003 private jet leak cited in an unauthorized biography reported the pop star quoting his favorite KFC order — but his relationship with the edgy Beverly Grove spot remains a relic of a bygone era in LA's pop culture history.

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