When Locol opened its doors in Watts on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 2016, the country took notice. Aiming to bring healthier fast food to an underserved community, chefs Daniel Patterson and Roy Choi faced challenges and critics. Despite Jonathan Gold naming Locol the Los Angeles Times' Restaurant of the Year in 2017, all locations of Locol closed in 2019. The concept had its silver lining though. Patterson met Keith Corbin, a Watts native who worked his way up through the ranks of the restaurant. With Locol closed, the duo focused their energies on their new restaurant, Alta, in the West Adams neighborhood.
Now, they're reopening Locol as a nonprofit restaurant that offers vocational training, addresses food insecurity, and creates opportunities for entrepreneurs.