♪ ANTHONY: SOUTHERN AMERICA AND ASIAN FUSION IS WHAT IS ON THE MENU AT 50 KITCHEN IN DORCHESTER. THE EXHIBIT OF CHEF AND -- THE EXECUTIVE CHEF AND OWNER IS ALWAYS IN RECIPE MODE. >> I HAVE A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS WITH MYSELF IN MY CAR. THERE IS NO FOOD IN THE CAR, BUT I AM TALKING FOOD. ANTHONY: TAKE HIS TWIST ON A VIETNAMESE SANDWICH. >> IT HAS PICKLED CARROTS, PICKLED JALAPENO, CUCUMBER, CILANTRO. 50 KITCHEN SPECIAL SAUCE. I WILL ADD RISK IT -- ADD BRI SKET TO IT. ANTHONY: OTHER CLASSICS REINVENTED, JAMBALAYA EGGROLLS. >> TWO OUNCES OF CHOPPED PARSLEY. SOME BUTTER, CAJUN SPICE. GARLIC. THE REST IS A 50 KITCHEN SECRET. ANTHONY: CALDWELL SAYS THIS DISH IS A CUSTOMER FAVORITE. >> PANDA IT IS DONE. ANTHONY: IN FEBRUARY 2020, CALDWELL OPENED 50 KITCHEN ONLY TO CLOSE LATER BECAUSE OF COVID-19. DEVASTATING. DIDN’T KNOW WHAT TO DO. DIDN’T KNOW WHERE TO GO. ANTHONY: THE NEIGHBORHOOD STEPPED UP. >> I OPENED UP THE MAIL. THERE IS A CARD AND $500 I IT, $100 IN IT. $1000 CHECKS. I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO EXCITED AND SO GRATEFUL TO DORCHESTER IN ALL OF MY LIFE. BECAUSE THIS IS COMMUNITY -- I ROBERT THIS PLACE OF EVERYTHING -- ROBBED THIS PLACE OF EVERYTHING. EVERYTHING I ROBBED DORCHESTER OF. ANTHONY: CALDWELL IS REFERRING TO WHAT HE CALLS HIS UNFORTUNATE VACATION, PRISON. >> THE DIRECTION IN WHICH I WAS GOING AT T TIME, IT IS WHAT IT IS. I WAS EITHER GOING TO KILL MYSELF OR KILL SOMEBODY. ANTHONY: DURING FOR YEARS IN PRISON ON A DRUG CONVICTION, CALDWELL LEARNED HOW TO COOK AND WAS FOREVER TRANSFORMED. >> DIDN’T COOK AT ALL, NEVER. THAT IS WHY I WAS SO SHOCK THAT I NOW HAVE THIS PASSION THAT I ABSOLUTELY LOVE. I DON’T WANT TO FIX CARS. I DON’T WANT TO CUT HAIR. I DON’T WANT TO BE A LANDSCAPER. I WANT TO COOK FOOD. ANTHONY: AFTER HIS RELEASE IN 2006, HE BECAME A LINE COOK. A FEW YEARS LATER, HE STARTED DRINKING AND COULDN’T STOP. >> ALCOHOL WAS KILLING ME. I TOLD THIS GENTLEMAN, I’M NOT DOING TOO GOOD. I SAID I CAN’T ESCAPE THIS PAIN. IT IS CONSTANT EVERY SINGLE DAY. SAID I THINK I WILL JUST DO MYSELF. HE SAID, WHAT DO YOU MEAN? I SAID I WILL BLOW MY BRAINS OUT. HE SAID, I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO GET BACK INTO CHURCH? ANTHONY: IN 2011, CALDWELL SAYS HE HEARD A VOICE URGING HIM TO QUIT RINGING, OR -- QUIT DRINKING, OR HE WOULD DIE. HE JOINED A CHURCH A FEW DAYS LATER. HIS CAREER SORT WITH -- SOARED WITH JOBS AT HOTELS, M.I.T. AND HARVARD. HE DREAMED OF ONE DAY HAVING HIS OWN FOOD TRUCK. >> NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS DID I SEE A RESTAURANT COMING MY WAY. ANTHONY: CALDWEL CREDITS HIS RELIGIOUS FAITH, HIS FAMILY, AND HI COMMUNITY FOR HIS SECOND CHANCE. >> MY STORY IS AN INSPIRATION FOR SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE. I THINK IT IS A SENSE OF HOPE. I WAS LOST. I WAS ABSOLUTELY BROKEN. I WAS BROKEN. AND IT TOOK FOR ME TO GO THROUGH WHAT I WENT THROUGH TO BE ABLE TO SHARE MY STORY WITH OTHER PEOPLE. ♪ ANTHONY: INCREDIBLE STORY. CHEF CALDWELL TELLS US SOME OF HIS CUSTOMERS COME IN AND SHARE PERSONAL STORIES OF OBSTACLES OR UPHEAVAL, AND HE ENCOURAGES THEM TO KEEP GOING. HE RECENTLY GOT PERMISSION TO BUILD A SMALL PATIO, WHERE HE WILL BE ABLE TO SEAT 14 CUSTOMERS OUTDOORS.