Conversations with Richard Miyake

Today we’d like to introduce you to Richard Miyake.

Hi Richard, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My day job is a Controller for a law school, but anyone that knows me knows I love to eat and drink and travel…My wine journey began in the mid-to-late 1990s. A friend used to host BBQ dinners (Ken & Ellen Minami @vinoesq), and he’d bring out bottles to share throughout the evening, starting with white wines while he grilled, then transitioning to reds with dinner. Each bottle came with a story: a visit to the winery, a memorable night when he first had it, or something personal that brought it to life. His passion was contagious, and it caught my attention. Those dinners sparked something in me, and I decided wine would become part of my life.

Some of my early favorites were Silver Oak, Jordan, Whitehall Lane, Flora Springs, and Hall. I never quite understood when people said they had an “epiphany wine”, that one bottle that changed everything, until it happened to me. On my second visit to Napa, we stopped at Robert Mondavi Winery and opted for the reserve tasting. They poured the inaugural release of the 1997 To-Kalon Reserve, and the flavors lingered long after we left the winery…I was hooked.

My Instagram journey began in 2011/2012, Instagram was the new thing, and my wife suggested I start an account to document all the wines I’d been drinking. I thought, what a great idea! And just like that, a monster was born (her words, not mine).

From the beginning, I couldn’t just snap a quick photo and post it. Even though it’s “Instagram”, I felt every photo needed to reflect my style, my perspective. It’s how I saw the bottle and glass, my take on it. Sure, it’s just wine in a glass, but somehow, I’d always find a different angle or light. With simple filters and apps constantly evolving, I kept experimenting.

That blend of wine and creativity, capturing the mood, the label, the pour, is what still drives me. Each new bottle is a new photo or an intriguing story waiting to happen. The love for wine continues as it brings friends together, from all over the world. It’s all about time spent with family and friends, and the stories that we all share, whether it’s about wine or food or travel, that’s what I love about it.

I’ve developed my own visual style when it comes to photography and editing, every photo and video is intentional, shaped by how I see the product or moment through my eyes. I can explain exactly what I saw, how I captured it, and why. I also create dynamic videos, including still photo sequences, in a unique way that adds texture and personality to each post. All of this transfers to food and travel as well…every picture tells a story.

I’ve partnered with wineries, champagne houses, and boutique hotels to share the full journey, from tastings and dinners to behind-the-scenes vineyard tours and chateau stays. My audience trusts my recommendations and follows along not just for the visuals, but for the story and the feeling.

I’m looking to expand more into travel, sharing real experiences through stylish, quality content that feels both authentic and aspirational. Whether it’s a glass of champagne in Reims, a late-night sushi and wine pairing in L.A., or the perfect travel destination & hotel, I want to create content that connects. It can be in all ranges of lifestyle, not just the fancy stuff, but also the everyday things in life.

The LA Wine Cru (Crew):
The LA Wine Cru (or Crew, depending on who you ask) started pretty organically, just six of us who loved wine, food, and a good time. We’re the OGs: me (@richardmiyake), my wife Maita (@meet_maita), my childhood friend Brian (@bribrinaka), his wife Mariko (@mcurli), Mike (@whiskysansei), and Tilden (@terroir_matters). Brian and I are childhood friends, and we met Mike and Tilden at a wine tasting event. I was already pretty active on IG, and I got Tilden into it, his account took off too. So while Tilden and I were posting regularly, the others were more casual. This all tying into My Instagram journey.

It all kicked off around late 2011 at that local tasting where we crossed paths. From there, we started golfing together, and of course, each of us brought a bottle of wine. We’d play 18 holes, polish off the bottles during the round, and post about our day. Then came the dinners. Everyone brought something, we’d open it all, eat, drink, and share it on IG. This was right as Instagram was really starting to take off, and we started connecting with other wine lovers, not just in LA, but across the country and around the world.

Somewhere along the way, the name LA Wine Cru (Crew) stuck. I don’t remember exactly how it came about, but we rolled with it. I guess you could say I was the founder since I was organizing the dinner at the start, but it was the OG6 who really laid the foundation.

I started organizing more dinners, some with local IG friends, others with people visiting LA. Someone would DM me, “Hey, I’ll be in town next week, want to open some bottles?” And just like that, we’d plan something. We’d post about it, and the group kept growing. Wineries were asking us to get the LA Wine Cru together and they will come down and host a tasting with appetizers for us. Tilden organized quite a few, notably the Krug and Bollinger events (pictured), and James (@winecatla) organized several big dinners at Il Pastaio in Beverly Hills, all of these were so much fun!
And others would even host a wine party at their home!

There were no rules, no membership fees. Well… maybe one rule: bring something good. Though it wasn’t really about price (well… sort of lol), but more about sharing something you loved with people who’d appreciate it. As the group grew, others in the group started organizing dinners and events too. For a good five or six years, things were pretty crazy, in the best way. Most dinners were around 10 to 15 people, but it wasn’t unusual to have 20 or more. What started with six friends and a few rounds of golf turned into a community of wine lovers from all over, brought together by great bottles, good food, and a little app called Instagram.

Then the pandemic hit in 2020, and lockdowns stretched into 2022 and even 2023. In some ways, the timing wasn’t so bad, it gave us all a break from the constant wine dinners and events.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Has it been a smooth road?
Not exactly. One of the biggest struggles early on was defining my voice and brand, figuring out what I wanted to feature and what would actually resonate with my audience. I kept asking myself: do I only showcase high-end wines and champagnes? Should I include grocery store finds or bargain bottles, too? There’s value in accessibility, but ultimately, I realized I wanted to focus on wines that tell a story, wines with character, heritage, and craftsmanship.

That led me to carve out a lane somewhere between mid-range and high-end. I used to be all about Napa Cabernets, but as my palate changed and my lifestyle evolved, I found myself gravitating toward champagne. It offers an incredible quality-to-price ratio, endless diversity, and a style that fits both my palate and aesthetic. The challenge has always been staying true to what I love while also thinking about how to grow and connect with others.

Another challenge was figuring out whether I wanted to make money or not as a content creator. Did I want to treat this like a business? Or was I okay just accepting samples in exchange for stories and posts, maybe a hosted tasting, lunch, dinner or the occasional hotel or BnB stay? For me, it was never about turning this into a business. I didn’t push it. I never reached out to wineries or brands to pitch collaborations, I let them come to me and offer what they wanted. And to this day, that’s still how I do it.

The first time I got paid, it felt different, more like work. I found myself approaching the content with a checklist, trying to “create” something rather than letting the moment unfold naturally. But over time, I’ve learned that the best content comes when I don’t force it. Whether I’m getting paid or not, I try to stay authentic and let it flow.

In some ways, every post I do is free advertising for a brand. So yeah, sometimes I wonder: should I be compensated? Should I stop posting unless I’m paid? Am I even “big” enough as a creator to think that way? I don’t have all the answers. But I do know I enjoy what I’m doing, and I get a lot out of it personally. That said, I’ve been told more than a few times that it’s time to start charging.

I never imagined that posting photos of wine and food would grow into what it is now. I always tell my wife, I’ll just ride the wave until I get tired of it or until no one reaches out anymore, lol. Either way, it’ll end at some point…so I’m just making the most of it while I can.

Then there’s the creator community itself. As the space matured, some content creators, especially those who rely on this for income, felt frustrated when others accepted just samples instead of setting standard rates. It created tension, and opened up bigger conversations about value and fairness in the space.

And of course, there’s the ever-changing challenge of growing an audience. With algorithms, competition, and people buying followers, organic growth has gotten harder. I’ve chosen not to play the game. My account has been floating between 22K and 24K followers for the past few years, and I’m okay with that. I’d rather have real engagement and stay true to myself than chase inflated numbers.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As I mentioned earlier about my day job, I’m the Controller for the University of West Los Angeles, a private law and business school, and I’ve been here since 2016. Before that, I spent many years in the real estate and mortgage industry, but I feel like I’ve truly found my place in the education sector. My responsibilities include overseeing the financial statements, monthly reporting packages, budgets, and various management reports and analyses.

What I’m most proud of is having maintained a clean audit record every single year since my first full-time job out of college — let’s just say 30+ years ago. For me, the annual audit is more than a compliance task; it’s a reflection of my ability to manage the institution’s financials with integrity, accuracy, and accountability. I see it as a benchmark of trust, both in my own work and in the systems I’ve helped build.

What sets me apart is my blend of corporate finance experience and my adaptability to mission-driven environments like education. I’m always looking to improve systems, streamline processes, and support my team, not just with numbers, but with clarity and purpose.

What makes you happy?
What makes me happy and why?

Simple things, really…time spent with family and friends tops the list. Whether it’s a wine dinner with good company, traveling (locally or abroad), or just sharing a great meal, those moments stay with me. I find joy in chasing sunsets and catching sunrises, usually with a camera in hand and a glass of wine not far behind.

And of course, there’s Bean, our chihuahua and the heart of the household.

Like my bio says: “I love wine and photography… and of course, food, family, friends, Bean, sunrise & sunsets.” That’s pretty much everything that fills my cup.

If you’re not following me, please do @richardmiyake. And if you see me at an event, please say hello!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://richardmiyake.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/richardmiyake/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/richard.miyake
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-miyake-26b2636/
• Other: https://www.threads.com/@richardmiyake