Keith Corbin He is a former prisoner and currently a executive chef, born in Watts, Los Angeles, United States. He is co-owner of the restaurant Alta Adams in Los Angeles and managed to turn the establishment into an essential meeting point for both the local community and Hollywood, especially African-American stars. And he achieved it thanks to his innovative culinary proposal that includes signature dishes such as roasted plantain tacos. His journey, marked by a decade in prisonled him to develop what he calls “California Soul”.
Raised in the Jordan Downs neighborhood, Corbin faced a complicated reality similar to that of other young people in disadvantaged communities. He was absorbed by the environment of the gangs and the drug related crime. Thus, it ended with a sentence that kept him in prison for a decade for crimes linked to illegal substances, weapons and robberies. He was imprisoned from 2003 to 2014.
The current chef warned that there is more talent inside the prison than is believed. He told The Guardian: “There are people there who literally never went to tech school, but the phone breaks and they’ll figure out how to fix the motherboard. There are geniuses there, ingenuity”. He himself is an example of the capacity that is developed behind bars due to low resources. While working as a chef in prison, he often wanted to cook and add flavors. For that he had to figure out how to make mixtures with the few ingredients.
Corbin emphasizes the universality of soul in cooking. He sees it as a bridge of human connection across racial or cultural barriers, evoking the memory of those enslaved who found solace in food prepared with love. He said: “People tend to give soul food to a region, a culture or a race. I look at soul food for intention”.
Corbin’s cooking, influenced by teachings from his grandmother and the need to be creative with limited resources in prison, highlights the flavors of soul cuisine with a Californian touch. These two issues reconnect its roots and lead it to offer a welcoming space for everyone.
Although in prison he found creativity in cooking, which he did not have before, his first connection with cooking was through his grandmother who cooked for several people in her community. “That love of feeding people was my first connection with food”, he said.
Corbin’s path to rehabilitation and redemption included the challenge of being accepted back into his community. For his efforts, in 2023, he obtained a Rehabilitation Certificate in Los Angeles Superior Court. This is a recognition of your change and positive contribution. This process was supported by letters from important public figures and the community, reflecting the significant impact of her work beyond the kitchens of Alta Adams. Additionally, he was nominated twice for the award James Beard (award that highlights gastronomic professionals).
Before starting in the kitchens of Los Angeles, worked in an oil refinery. But when they found out that he had been in prison he was fired. Then he decided to start a new adventure to change his life. He managed to train in the kitchen of LocoL in 2016, a restaurant in Roy Choi and Daniel Patterson, renowned in this world. In 2018 that location closed, but Corbin remained close to Choi and Patterson.
At that moment he was born Alta Adams, which opened in 2018, and ended as a success. Under the management of Corbin and the Patterson and Choi partnership, it has become an oasis of joy and comfort for major Hollywood stars and residents alike.
When Alta Adams opened, he was nervous about whether stars would show up. Luckily for him, it did happen. “For our inauguration, wine John Legendthen Tiffany Haddish. Tracee Ellis Ross appeared and told me that he would be the first person to reserve my restaurant for an event,” he listed, still surprised, in statements to The Hollywood Reporter. In addition, other figures such as Jay ZIssa Rae, Sterling K. Brown and Sean “Diddy” Combsamong others.
The good momentum of the new restaurant led them to devise a plan: reopen LocoL. Now with the intention of it being as a non-profit organization. And that challenges the tradition of fast food, providing nutritious and accessible options.
In 2022 he published his book: “California Soul: An American Epic of Cooking and Survival”. He narrates his own journey of personal redemption through cooking and how he positioned himself as a call to action to seek improvement and positive change. Furthermore, his intention is inspire current and future generations about the power of personal and professional transformation.
