Draft:Akshay Prabhu

Akshay Prabhu (born July 20, 1993) is an American entrepreneur and neuroscientist of South Asian (Indian) descent. He is best known as the founder and CEO of Foodnome, a platform that facilitates the operation of legal home-based restaurants in the United States.

Early life and education
Prabhu graduated from the University of California, Davis in 2015 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Neuroscience. During his time at UC Davis, he ran an underground restaurant, which inspired his future entrepreneurial endeavors.

Neuroscience research
During his undergraduate studies, Prabhu worked on computational neuroscience research with awake brain surgery patients, collaborating with neurosurgeon Fady Girgis. He has continued his involvement in neuroscience research, co-authoring a paper in 2023 on brain-computer interfaces for decoding attempted speech in aphasia patients.

Foodnome and home restaurant advocacy
In 2017, Prabhu founded Foodnome, a platform that helps home cooks navigate the permitting process and operate legal home restaurants. He played a significant role in advocating for California Assembly Bill 626 (AB-626), which legalized the sale of home-cooked food in California.

Foodnome's achievements include:
 * Facilitating the opening of Bao House, one of Berkeley's first legal home restaurants, in July 2021
 * Assisting in the permitting and operation of dozens of home restaurants across California
 * Building a user base of thousands of diners
 * Raising over $3 million in funding

Industry influence
Prabhu's work with Foodnome has been noted for its potential impact on the food industry. The legalization of home restaurants is seen as a way to create entrepreneurial opportunities for local cooks, particularly those from diverse backgrounds, and address food accessibility issues. The San Francisco Chronicle described Prabhu as "the most visible advocate" for the home restaurant movement in California.

Prabhu emphasizes the potential of home restaurants to create a more sustainable and equitable food system. He states, "We're creating a new food system that's more sustainable, that's more equitable, that's more delicious."

Regulatory challenges
Despite the passage of AB-626, implementation of the law has varied across California counties. As of 2021, only Riverside County had fully implemented the program, with other counties like San Bernardino and Alameda considering adoption. Prabhu and other advocates have faced challenges in expanding the implementation of AB-626, particularly in areas with stronger restaurant lobbies and more complex regulatory environments.

Media appearances
Prabhu has been featured in various media outlets discussing home restaurants and food entrepreneurship:
 * NPR's "The Salt" in January 2019, discussing the implementation of AB-626
 * Los Angeles Times in January 2019, explaining the potential impact of home restaurants
 * San Francisco Chronicle in January 2019, discussing the implications of the new home restaurant law
 * KQED in January 2021, exploring the future of home-cooked food businesses

In 2021, Prabhu appeared in the Hulu documentary series "The Next Thing You Eat" with David Chang, which explored the future of food. This appearance further highlighted his role in the evolving landscape of home-based food businesses and regulatory reform in the food industry.