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provided. Two choices would be prepared daily, for both him and his wife—four meals
altogether. Miscavige prefers pizza, soup, and submarine sandwiches. Throughout the
day cigarettes, bottled water, and protein bars are stationed wherever he might be
working. Dinner is a ve-course meal, and once again, dual entrées are prepared for
him to choose from. Miscavige’s favorite foods include wild mushroom risotto, linguine
in white clam sauce, and pâté de foie gras. Fresh fruit and vegetables are purchased
from local markets or shipped in from overseas. Several times a week, a truck from
Santa Monica Seafood brings Atlantic salmon, or live lobster, own in fresh from the
East Coast or Canada. Corn-fed lamb arrives from New Zealand. When guests such as
Tom Cruise come to dinner, the kitchen goes into extravagant bursts of invention, with
ingredients sometimes own in from dierent continents. Two hours after dinner, the
rst evening snack arrives, with lighter oerings, such as Italian white bean soup or
clam chowder. After midnight, there is a nal late-night snack—a selection of nonfat
cheeses, an apple crisp, or blueberry crepes, often garnished with edible owers. Shelly
usually preferred a fruit platter. She would drink only almond milk, which was made onsite
from organic almonds. She insisted that all the food be consistent with the diet
recommended for their blood type (both Shelly and David are type O). Two full-time
chefs work all day preparing these meals, with several full-time stewards to serve them.
According to Claire Headley, who oversaw the nances for the Religious Technology
Center between 2000 and 2004, the food costs for David and Shelly and their guests
would range between $3,000 to as much as $20,000 per week. At the end of the
evening, Miscavige retires to his den and drinks Macallan Scotch and plays
backgammon with members of his entourage, or listens to music on his $150,000 stereo
system (he loves Michael Jackson), or watches movies in his private screening room (his
favorite films are Scarface and the Godfather trilogy). He usually turns in around three or
four in the morning.
Miscavige enjoys shooting pool or playing video games in his lounge. He has a
tanning bed, and a high-end gym that few people other than Cruise are permitted to
use. Although he is short in stature, Miscavige exudes physical power. He favors tight-
tting T-shirts that show o his chiseled biceps. He collects guns, maintains at least six
motorcycles, and has a number of automobiles, including an armor-plated GMC Safari
van with bulletproof windows and satellite television, and a souped-up Saleen Mustang
that Cruise gave him to match his own. His uniforms and business suits are fashioned by
Richard Lim, a Los Angeles tailor whose clients include Cruise, Will Smith, and Martin
Sheen. Miscavige’s shoes are custom-made in London by John Lobb, bootmaker to the
royal family. His wardrobe lls an entire room. Two full-time stewards are responsible
for his cleaning and laundry. Cruise admired the housecleaning so much—even
Miscavige’s lightbulbs are polished once a month—that the church leader sent a Sea Org
team to Cruise’s Telluride retreat to train the star’s staff.
Until 2007, when he traveled, Miscavige would often rent Cruise’s Gulfstream jet, but
he has since upgraded to a roomier Boeing business jet, at a cost of thirty to fty
thousand dollars per trip. He brings along his personal hairdresser and chiropractor. He
loves underwater photography, and when he returns from his annual trip on the