For this Marin County, California, beer garden Mani researched, tested and developed recipes, techniques and formulas from dry rubs to BBQ sauce, preps and smoke times, virtually all aspects of operating a smoker. Essential to the project included training and coordinating with the team for a successful hand off. According to owner Brain Back, “ Our kitchen needed a shot in the arm and Mani delivered. The BBQ is back on track and his sides are spectacular: mac-n-cheese, corn bread and quinoa-roast sweet potato salad brought us full circle.”

As part of the menu and BBQ smoker revamp, Mani took some time to get the know the customers, the brews and even the amazing hard kombucha from Dr. Hops!

As this cornerstone restaurant in Culver City entered its 12th year, Akasha wanted to reinvigorate the bakery department, especially with some new vegan and gluten free offerings. Mani baked up a storm of cookies, cupcakes, gluten free English muffins and cornmeal waffles and even the Original L.A. Fauxnut ™, a vegan baked donut originally created for actor Danny DeVito in a movie role. Can’t get more LA than that!

Turns out this Akasha fan is vegan and she loved the faux-nuts! I return the favor by catching Beanie in everything she does from TV to Broadway to the Big Screen!

“Mani created a line of baked goods for our restaurant-his vegan baked donuts, aka faux-nuts and gluten free corn meal waffles sell out at brunch every weekend!”

— Akasha, Akasha restaurant