He’s been a barista at the Cross Creek Starbucks for the past 12 years and knows at least 100 local customers by name. But at night, Kousha Harirchian transforms into a caterer/chef, acupuncturist and Chinese herbalist.
Starbucks customers who get their lattes and cappuccinos from Harirchian are always struck by his friendliness—finding he’s a good bet for an interesting and energetic conversation on any number of wide-ranging topics.
“I’ve seen a lot of partners and managers come and go at Starbucks,” Harirchian said. “But my customers have been very steady and loyal—many have been coming here for years. Some have become more than customers—they’ve become great friends; and I’ve been invited to weddings, funerals and birthday parties. It’s been a 12-year adventure.”
It was back in 1997 that Harirchian graduated from South Baylo University, an acupuncture and oriental medicine institution in Orange County, as a licensed acupuncturist (LAc).
“It’s a fascinating field,” he said. From 2002 to 2008, he was affiliated with a medical practice of doctors and chiropractors in Van Nuys, but then decided to go out on his own.
“The majority of my patients suffer from aches and pains or insomnia,” he noted.
At the time he joined Starbucks, part of the reason was to meet people and drum up additional business for his acupuncture and herbal medicine practice.
“I needed to gain exposure in the neighborhood and wanted to get a job interacting with customers,” Harirchian said. He calls his business Vew Accucenter and makes house calls as opposed to maintaining an office.
After applying to his local Starbucks in the Valley, he was assigned to work at the Malibu Cross Creek location.
“The drive was challenging at first, but now I’m used to it,” he said. “I’ve gained some patients for acupuncture and herbs, and built up my side business—off the clock and after hours.”
Over the years, as the Starbucks chain became a mega pastry vendor, with over 50 kinds of pastry treats, Harirchian also became interested in how to make pastries.
“I was fascinated by the pastries Starbucks served, and I wanted to get into the culinary world,” he said. As a result, he began attending the Academy of Culinary Education in Woodland Hills, graduating in 2016.
He now has a second side business that does catering—Fifth Element Catering. And the food is not limited to pastries. In his new venture, Harirchian prefers to not take on jobs that are more than he can handle by himself. He explained that he mostly does cocktail and tailgate parties of about 50 people—not sit-down dinners. He is willing to create whatever hors d’oeuvres or food the customer wants.
“For some reason, everyone has been asking for meatballs,” he laughed. Based on what the customer wants, he’s now learned to make meatballs out of beef, lamb, chicken and turkey, with Italian, Greek or Persian seasonings; he even has a special meatball this month for Thanksgiving.
Harirchian sometimes has the opportunity to combine two of his talents, his culinary skills and knowledge of Chinese medicine, to create food dishes with medicinal value.
“I’ve come up with dishes and meals that help people fight their illnesses,” he said. “The food seems to help them heal faster.” However, he won’t divulge his secret ingredients.
In order to demonstrate his newly acquired chef skills to the public, Harirchian entered the 2017 Malibu Chili Cook-Off this Labor Day. His entry in the contest, “Fifth Element Chili,” was a Persian-inspired chili made with dates, sherry and dried lime.
“I did it for fun, with help from my brother,” he said. “The lines were non-stop at my booth.” And although he did not walk away with one of the prizes, he’s determined to win next year. “I already started trying out new recipes,” he said.
Harirchian is a member of a close-knit family and helps take care of his elderly parents.
“It’s our time to pay back,” he said. The family has a small poodle and a Jack Russell terrier, and a back yard with a koi pond, a variety of organic fruit trees and herbs, and even a new beehive. “I’m waiting for the honey,” he said.
Meet Malibu is a new feature series The Malibu Times is beginning this month, profiling interesting members of our community who either work or live (or both!) here in Malibu.
If you know someone in town you think belongs in the series, let us know by sending an email toeditorial@malibutimes.com.
