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Keith Corbin

Sunday, August 28, 2022
1:00pm Pacific Time
KQED Broadcast: 08/28/2022

We've made a recording of this event free to all. Please support our institution and these productions by making a tax-deductible contribution.

This week, a story of transformation with Keith Corbin, the James Beard Award-nominated executive chef and co-owner of Alta Adams in Los Angeles. Born into the drug economy of Watts, Los Angeles, Corbin’s means of survival landed him in one of California’s most notorious maximum security prisons — a place where resourcefulness is key to making a decent meal. His particular ingenuity and lifelong passion for food made him a standout in the prison kitchen, and then in Los Angeles kitchens post-release. His memoir, California Soul: An American Epic of Cooking and Survival takes readers inside the worlds of gangs, prison politics, gentrification, and culinary achievement to tell the story of how he came to head one of the best restaurants in America. 

Photo by Lisa Corson