Episode Details

A job can be more than a paycheck. It can provide dignity, create opportunities, and open doors for meaningful change in someone's life.

For April Tam Smith, that belief inspired an unconventional approach to generosity: creating a restaurant that serves great food while giving people who need it most a second chance.

April and her husband, Graham, are co-founders of P.S. Kitchen, a nonprofit restaurant in New York City's Times Square. Alongside a group of like-minded partners, they've built a business that combines hospitality, employment opportunities, and charitable giving.

April joined the show today to share how the restaurant began and what she's learned about using business as a vehicle for generosity.

A Vision for Generosity Beyond Money

The inspiration for P.S. Kitchen began long before the restaurant opened its doors.

Early in their marriage, April and Graham spent part of their honeymoon in Haiti, volunteering with organizations that provided hearing aids and other health services to people in need.

While that experience was meaningful, something else caught April's attention: the transformative power of employment. She remembers watching people walk into an industrial park in Haiti and noticing the dignity and purpose that came from having meaningful work.

That experience planted a seed. What if generosity could involve more than donating money? What if it could also create opportunities for people to earn a living, provide for their families, and build a better future?

April became increasingly interested in social businesses that address social problems through sustainable business models. The idea was simple but powerful: A business could generate revenue while also creating opportunities for people and communities to thrive.

That vision eventually became P.S. Kitchen.

A Restaurant With a Greater Purpose

When April began developing the restaurant, she had little experience in the food industry. She had spent more than two decades working in equity derivatives, and she readily admits that she wasn't even particularly passionate about food. 

But she understood the kind of business she wanted to create.

The goal wasn't simply to open a restaurant that donated a portion of its earnings to charity. April wanted generosity to shape every part of the operation, from the food it served to the people it employed and how it used its profits.

P.S. Kitchen was designed as an inviting restaurant serving delicious, innovative, plant-based food. Customers could enjoy a great dining experience without necessarily knowing anything about the mission behind it. 

The restaurant's name reflects that approach.

At the bottom of its menu, customers discover a series of additional messages: P.S., the restaurant employs people who may need a second chance. P.S., the menu is entirely plant-based. P.S., the profits are used to support charitable purposes.

In other words, the mission is woven into the business rather than treated as an afterthought. April, Graham, and several friends initially funded the restaurant themselves. Over time, the ownership was donated entirely to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

That's why April describes herself and Graham as co-founders rather than co-owners. They helped bring the restaurant into existence, but its purpose extends beyond their personal financial interests.

Why Location Matters

Opening a restaurant in Times Square might seem like an unusual choice for a nonprofit venture. But for April, the location was intentional.

Throughout her finance career, she built relationships with colleagues and clients who shared her desire to make a difference. Some had accompanied her on service trips to Hait