A Message From The Chef

My name is Akil, I am 23 years old and have been working in the foodservice industry for 6 years but the last 3 primarily focused on plant-based cuisine, influenced by my sudden lifestyle choice of becoming vegan. I arrived to Oahu in 2017 and felt the presence of a common ancestor through the connection of food from the land and the conscious effort to eat ethically and harmoniously with the ʻĀina. I'd like to think I create plant-based dishes for everyone to enjoy, making sure to implement local produce and a variety of culturally rich dishes. I worked for resturants like Top of Waikiki, Vegan Hills, Juicy Brew and after being a line cook for a few years here on Oahu, I decided to work independently as a private chef and caterer. I created my business officially "Freshoverflesh LLC" in January of 2019 and debuted my career-breaking product Banana Blossom Fried "Chicken" at VegFest Oahu in September of 2019. After that, I hosted a series of Pop-ups at an event space called The Good Vibe Center. When Covid 19 initially hit forcing farmer's markets and event spaces to close their doors.with large gatherings prohibited for months, unfortunately, The Good Vibe Center was one of those businesses forced to permanently close. I then realized the advantage of an independent mobile unit in order to stay open and stay safe. I abruptly stopped taking the few orders I was blessed to still be receiving to step out of the kitchen, and into my dreams. After making the announcement, I received an overwhelming amount of support and donations from fellow business owners and loving customers. My friend bought me a power drill, another donated some vinyl flooring and one couple even lent me their jigsaw; a total lifesaver that then enabled me to build everything I needed. I single-handedly converted an old El Dorado transport bus into a beautiful up-and-coming plant-based food truck. You can watch the transformation from somewhat start to finish on our Instagram highlight bubble entitled "food bus". A few more expenses are needed to fully open, so in the meantime, you can support us at our featured pop-ups, Catering, or Private Chef Services.