Second Chances, Real Change: How a Chef and a CEO Are Reshaping Youth Justice
What happens when a world-class chef teams up with a Fortune 500 CEO to tackle one of America’s most complex problems—youth incarceration? You get Cafe Momentum, and a conversation that might just change the way you think about second chances.
On this episode of Going Big!, host Kevin Gentry welcomes Chad Houser, James Beard Humanitarian of the Year and founder of Cafe Momentum, alongside Christian Fischer, former CEO of Georgia-Pacific. Together, they’ve brought a groundbreaking restaurant and reentry program to Atlanta—one that equips justice-involved youth with culinary skills, mentorship, and a fresh start.
From Ice Cream to Impact
Chad’s journey started with a simple request: teach eight incarcerated teens how to make ice cream. What followed was life-altering. He realized the kids weren’t dangerous—they were hungry for opportunity, stability, and someone who believed in them. That one experience ignited a movement. Today, Cafe Momentum gives young people a path forward through paid internships, life skills training, and a nurturing environment rooted in respect.
Atlanta’s Moment of Momentum
Christian Fischer, newly retired from leading one of America’s largest manufacturing companies, felt called to do more. Inspired by Chad’s model and equipped with relationships across Atlanta’s civic and business leadership, he played a pivotal role in helping Cafe Momentum open its newest location in the city. But he’s quick to say—this wasn’t about charity. It was about aligning a city’s resources around a common good: transforming lives.
Why Mentorship Matters
Both men emphasize the role of mentorship—not just for the youth they serve, but for themselves. Chad describes mentors as people who “give you their confidence until you find your own.” Christian credits his mentors—known and unknown—with helping him navigate life as an immigrant, outsider, and eventual CEO. Now, they’re working together to make sure every young person has that same support.
Scaling with Purpose, Not Just Speed
Expanding Cafe Momentum is no cookie-cutter franchise model. Each city presents new relationships to build, juvenile justice systems to navigate, and a community’s unique needs to understand. Atlanta joins Dallas and Pittsburgh in this growing network—and Denver is next. But each step forward requires local champions, sustainable funding, and boots-on-the-ground trust-building.
Going Big Means Starting Small
The most striking insight from the episode? Neither Chad nor Christian started with a master plan. Chad said yes to a volunteer opportunity. Christian said yes to a conversation. Those yeses led to something bigger than either imagined. Now, they invite the rest of us to step in—whether that’s dining at Cafe Momentum, volunteering locally, or simply believing in someone the world has written off.
This episode is more than a story—it’s a challenge. What would happen if more of us gave others the confidence to go big—until they could find it in themselves?
#Atlanta #Dallas #CafeMomentum #GeorgiaPacific #JuvenileJustice
