Fil Am chef grieves over Michael Jackson's death
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 07/01/2009 5:46 PM
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“Gentle and a very kind person” was how a Filipino American celebrity chef based in San Diego, California described the music pop legend Michael Jackson.
Larry Banares prepared meals for Jackson in the past when the music icon frequently visited Disneyland Hotel where he was then its executive chef during the 80s.
“I found him to be very serene, gentle and a very kind person," Banares said.
Banares have good memories of Jackson whom he said was a kind and humble person.
"One night, we were in a suite cooking and we were preparing a very special meal for him and his entourage and we were really working hard to get the meal out. Michael came out in the kitchen, ‘this smells so good chef, I can’t wait to eat’. He came back moments later and grabbed me by the arm said ‘chef come on you're gonna sit down and eat with us’,” he said.
He recalled carrying a camera at that time but was embarrassed to ask Jackson to have his photo taken with him.
"I was just kind of very clumsily handling a camera in my hand, kind of hiding it, a little bit embarrassed to ask him for the photo shoot. He actually saw me holding it, and walked right up to me and said ‘oh great we're taking a picture!" said Banares.
Jackson was vegetarian then, he said, and was following a menu. He recalled that he learned to perfect the singer’s favorite food.
"One that really sticks in my mind was a kind of a Mexican dish. He loved tofu and cheese enchiladas with the green tomatillo sauce. And we perfected that dish because it was one of Michael's absolute favorites,” he said.
Even in the past, Jackson was already using disguises when going out.
"What amazed me would be seeing all the different disguises laid out on the tables and the chairs - from wigs to scarves to sunglasses, even masks. And it was interesting because no matter where Michael went, almost immediately he grew a crowd,” he said.
Like many of Jackson’s fans, the singer’s death came as a shock to Banares.
"I was, like many people, in shock. And when I heard his voice, when they play a small clip on an interview, the gentleness of his voice, I was very choked up and in tears,” he said.
He, however, takes comfort in knowing that the world is now giving more importance to Jackson’s legacy in music and in culture. Report from Ging Reyes, ABS-CBN North America News Bureau, Chief
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