And so we did: Brice, Paul, Rob and John enjoyed the gourmet soul food Corbin creates at Alta, his West Adams restaurant in Los Angeles. Carefully prepared, several dishes were perfected versions of soul food staples; others were more adventurous, and all were delicious.

We were greeted enthusiastically and made comfortable with the staff, and the greeter was more than excited that our group had read Corbin’s book and followed it up with an evening at his restaurant.

Corbin was at the restaurant, the greeter explained, and then after scurrying away for a moment returned to say that if we’d like, Corbin would come out to talk with us after dinner.

Of course, WE LIKED. Corbin sat on a stool, comfortable and engaged, asking us what brought us to Alta and answering our questions. One of us had even visited Lokal his earlier restaurant near the Watts Towers, where he first realized his culinary ambitions, in the midst of his childhood and young-adult community.

Corbin said that even one more bad decision or case of bad luck in his gang past might well have led to a much different outcome in his life.