Chef Chad Houser runs a little outfit you've hopefully heard of called Café Momentum, which is a restaurant training platform that provides culinary experience to post-release juvenile offenders from the Dallas County Youth Village. Since 2011 Cafe Momentum has hosted more than 20 dinners that have paired great chefs with interns, which serves as a learning experience for both them and diners.
In addition to exposure to the restaurant business, the group also offers continued mentoring and support as these young men and women re-enter the community. The long-term plans for Café Momentum include a restaurant to provide a permanent training grounds, but until then pop-up dinners are the best way to showcase their collective talents and raise money for more outreach.
On September 19, Wine Poste, a retail wine store and entertainment space in the Design District, is hosting a Harvest Moon Dinner with Houser, Justin Fourton of Pecan Lodge, Graham Dodds of Central 214 and Matt Ford of CBD Provisions. Together they will roast a whole Red Waddle pig alongside farm fresh produce and provisions from local purveyors Indian Mountain Ranch, Caprino Royale, Comeback Creek, Dis N Dat and Barking Cat Farms. And, naturally, wines from Wine Poste.
The family-style al fresco feast is at 7 p.m. under the autumn moon outside of Wine Poste. Set your alarm for 8 p.m. this Sunday when tickets go on sale. The cost is $125 per plate, which includes dinner and wine pairings. All proceeds from the dinner will go to Café Momentum.
See also: Chad Houser of Café Momentum in the 2013 People Issue
