"Michael Jackson was a divine person to work with. Gentleman, understandable, patient, funny, shy and very human."
--- Remy Vila Real
The above quote is taken from (and for additional reading);
(Note: the above site is in Portuguese but can be translated to English)
1984 - Brazilian Chef Remi Vila Real and Michael Jackson
Chef Remi shares her memories of Michael
I met Quincy once at a dinner I cooked for some other musician. He loved my food and asked me if he could come and do something very important. He told me that he wanted to be Michael Jackson's producer but every time he invited Michael to his house, Michael would never eat. He asked me if he could get Michael to eat some of my food. He said that Michael was a vegetarian and very picky about what he ate. I said I would try.
I went to Quincy's house and there I met Michael for the first time. I took him aside and told him, "Let me make you something very special. I know how to cook very healthy food from Brazil. All natural, all vegetarian. You will like it." He agreed. I made him some black beans, collard greens, farofa and some other things and he ate four plates full!
Quincy was kissing me all night long and from that time, he has called me many times to cook for him.
I was living in West Los Angeles in a small apartment when I got a phone call. The person on the phone asked me to look outside. He said: "See the limousine? Get in it, now!" I told him I could not because I was taking care of a person off the street and could not leave him. They said that they would send someone to look after the person right away and for me to get into the car. I told them I had to change my clothes because I was all dirty from cleaning. They didn't care. Finally I agreed when the man arrived to take care of my guest and I was taken to a big building in Beverly Hills and up to the very top penthouse. It was very luxurious.
The man on the other side of the desk handed me a ticket and said "you are going to the airport right now. Here is your ticket." I asked him why. He explained to me that Michael Jackson was having stomach aches and specifically requested me to be his "nutritionist" on the "Victory" tour. He was feeling sick to his stomach and refused to go on stage until they sent me to be his private cook. They were all very nervous. They said they were losing millions of dollars in canceled shows and I had to go right then.
I told them I could not and could only go in the morning. After a lot of arguing, they agreed to let me go home and they picked me up early in the morning and I was off to Birmingham, Alabama.
I spent eight weeks with Michael and his family on the road during the tour. It was an incredible trip I will never forget.
Michael and I became friends and I saw him number of times after that. I visited him in the hospital when his hair caught on fire and I saw him once in a while at an award's show or party. I even cooked for Michael Jackson and Elizabeth Taylor alone in Michael's house. That was very special.
--- Remy Vila Real
Here's a news article clipping that was published on June 30th 2009 ; it's not in English but I'm pretty sure it's related to, or a similar account, to the above post.
news clipping source: http://www.donaremi.com/main/
And here's a short excerpt from http://wikibin.org/articles/dona-remy.html
"Through Quincy Remy met Michael Jackson during a dinner party. Michael and Remy hit if off right away as by this time Remy was a baptized and devout Jehovah’s Witness, a faith that Michael was keenly aware of through his mother Katherine. Through Remy’s friendship and business relationship with Michael she got to meet other high profile stars. People like Elizabeth Taylor, Yul Brynner and his wife along with Paul McCartney and many others. Remy was then hired to work as Michael Jackson’s nutritionist in 1981 and 1984 during the Triumph and Victory tours. After the tours were over Remy was still being called upon to cook for the Jackson’s which she did with pleasure as she is very fond of them and has an enormous amount of respect for them."
Michael, with his mother Katherine, brother Tito and Chef Remy
picture source: http://www.donaremi.com/main/index.php?
Love this story :)
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