Café Momentum Pittsburgh offers 2nd chance to those exiting juvenile facilities
It’s about second chances at Café Momentum Pittsburgh.
The restaurant that debuted in Downtown on Wednesday serves more than food and drink — it dishes out hope.
“We want our young people to know they are not defined by one action,” said Gene Walker, executive director of Café Momentum Pittsburgh, at a press event. “One bad decision might have been made out of necessity where they felt they didn’t have any other option. We all make mistakes. It’s about learning from those mistakes.”
Café Momentum provides a 12-month paid internship for local young men and women exiting juvenile facilities by hiring youth ages 15 to 19. They receive the experience of all aspects of a fine dining restaurant, including cooking, serving and management.
“This is an incredibly surreal day for me,” said Chad Houser, CEO of Momentum Advisory Co., as he looked around the restaurant that encompasses 7,500 square feet and seats 115. “What Café Momentum does is it allows the community to come together, to break bread together and to change lives.”
Holding back tears, Gene Walker, executive director for Café Momentum Pittsburgh, said he is honored and blessed for the opportunity to give back to the city where he was born and raised. He’s lived in several areas of Pittsburgh’s East End and is currently a Brighton Heights resident.
“I realized I did not get to this point by myself,” said Walker, a Peabody High School graduate who previously worked for Pittsburgh Promise, an effort that helps urban youth further their education. “Folks helped me, and I want to be help these teens. I want to give them an opportunity to unlock the passion inside of them and propel them to do great things. I want young people to know they are not defined by one action.”
A father of two, Walker said he helped his children navigate the world and wants to do that for other young people. He understands some of the dire situations youth face. He wants them to know he’s in their corner.
“I tell them all the time I love them and they laugh at me,” Walker said. “But I am going to keep saying it until they believe it. “
Pittsburgh is Cafe Momentum’s second location. Houser opened the first in Dallas in 2015. He envisions 30. He chose Pittsburgh because of the commitment from the Richard King Mellon Foundation.
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Houser felt an embracing sense of community when he received a call from Sam Reiman, director of the Richard King Mellon Foundation. Reiman attended a conference of the Stand Together Foundation, a partner of Cafe Momentum, and dined at the Dallas location.
The Richard King Mellon Foundation, along with Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, invested $650,000. The Pittsburgh Steelers also contributed $102,500.
Houser also recognized Piatt Companies, formerly Millcraft, which welcomed Café Momentum into the space that was formerly occupied by Wolfie’s Pub. The place was two years in the making.
“I cannot put this into words,” Houser said. “There are so many emotions right now. When I originally told people about this idea they told me not to do it. They told me these teens will stab each other, and they don’t want to work. All they want is a paycheck. But I believe in these young people.”
In the United States, youth incarceration is a national crisis. In fact, at any given moment, more than 60,000 youth under age 18 are incarcerated in juvenile jails and prisons on a given day, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.
This is not an easy venture, Houser said. It takes heart and character – and Pittsburgh has both, he said.
The restaurant is one part of a bigger picture. In addition to workforce development, youth are receiving 24/7 case management, access to mental health services and are enrolled in high school. Through community partners, Café Momentum also supports interns with support in housing, medical care and more.
Houser said there is a lounge area where workers can take a nap because they never take for granted what people have been through the night before. A kitchen is available where they can grab a snack or enjoy an employee meal. There are private areas for mental health consultations and a training room. There are plans to add closet filled with necessities.
Houser said the plan is to assist 60-80 youth this year.
Houser said the magic happens when he watches the teens interact with restaurant diners. They get to meet other people and expand their sense of community.
“To fundamentally change their trajectory in life is something that the foundation is passionate about,” Reiman said. “I was immediately inspired by the mission, and also incredibly impressed by the food.”
Peter Henry, chef de cuisine for Café Momentum, brings more than two decades of experience and plans to include American-inspired dishes with a Pittsburgh flair and fresh ingredients from many Pennsylvania farmers and suppliers.
Some of the menu items include cheese and meat boards, smoked fried chicken, double-cut pork chop, and “drunken noodles” which are tofu, rice noodles, mushroom, squash, yellow coconut curry and almond. There three salads – chef, beet and house – sides of ham hock collard greens and buttered popcorn grits. Guests may bring their own alcohol (there is a $4 corkage fee per person).
Henry said this is the perfect job for him because he wants to pay it forward. He said he was in a coma from a medical condition when he lived in California and is fortunate to have survived. He’s grateful to doctors and nurses who saved him and wants to help save others.
“The food here is secondary,” said Henry. “What we provide is a second chance. I got a second chance at life and I want to help others get a second chance. I believe in second chances.”
So does Café Momentum.
Café Momentum is located at 268 Forbes Ave., Downtown. Hours are 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region’s diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of “A Daughter’s Promise.” She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.
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