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This week, a story of transformation with Los Angeles chef and restaurateur Keith Corbin. Corbin grew up in Watts, his early years entangled in drugs and gangs. After serving time in one of California\\u2019s most notorious maximum security prisons, Corbin experienced the employment challenges all too common for the formerly incarcerated. A model employee at one of his jobs, Corbin was promoted to a manager, only to be fired simply for having a criminal record.\\xa0

Then he encountered a restaurant startup in his neighborhood that wasn\\u2019t concerned with its employees\\u2019 pasts - Locol, the joint venture by Daniel Patterson and Roy Choi, that aimed to bring a quality alternative to fast food to underserved neighborhoods. Corbin became a chef and kitchen manager for Locol in Watts and Oakland, and although the restaurant ultimately closed, Corbin says it was not a failure - it put him and many others on the path to success. Now a chef and co-owner of one of America\\u2019s best restaurants, Corbin\\u2019s paying it forward to others. Keith Corbin\\u2019s new book \\u201cCalifornia Soul\\u201d tells the story of his uneven journey.\\xa0 On August 10, 2022, Corbin talked to KQED\\u2019s Brian Watt.