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Sanders: Samaritan House’s partners with restaurateurs to create Z’s Cafe, Fort Worth’s new dining experience in the Cultural District
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Bob Ray Sanders
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Having lunch at the Fort Worth Community Arts Center recently was a treat unto itself, but realizing that the cafe was offering a lot more than food made my dining experience even more meaningful and enjoyable.
Z’s Cafe not only is the fulfillment of a dream for a mother and son, but it is a place that is enriching the lives of others, some of whom doubted their own worth not so long ago because of health issues and the difficulty of finding and keeping a job.
The cafe is run by Janet Z. Capua and her 31-year-old son, Carlo, who some say was once the "poster child" for the Fort Worth Sister Cities program.
"She cooks, and I do everything else," said Carlo, who has been involved in the Sister Cities program since his youth, serves on its board and, until recently, spent nine years teaching English in sister cities in Japan and Mexico.
When he returned home last year, he helped his mother run a home-based catering business until they were approached about opening their own restaurant in the heart of the Fort Worth Cultural District.
Their partner would be a nonprofit agency whose clients many businesses — especially those serving food — would never have given a second thought, much less a real chance.
Most of the employees at Z’s are residents/clients at Samaritan House, the Fort Worth organization that provides affordable housing and other services for people who are HIV-positive.
The man I was having lunch with was Steve Dutton, executive director of Samaritan House, who was beaming that the collaboration with the Capuas had created a great cafe in the Cultural District and provided employment opportunities for people who have faced outright discrimination or intolerance from some employers.
Dutton also was excited because the new venture provides what he calls a teachable moment for people in the community who are still afraid of those who have been diagnosed with HIV.
Because there is still a stigma among some employers and because individuals who are HIV-positive often aren’t able to work 40-hour weeks, Samaritan House has tried in the past to create businesses, such as landscaping, to make sure residents had an opportunity to work.
However, Dutton decided the best alternative was to partner with someone else.
"We thought we would encourage others to create and manage a business and we would supply the employees," Dutton said.
In January, Samaritan House teamed with the Capuas, whose dream was to own a restaurant from which they also could cater.
The cafe opened on Gallery Night in February, when 800 people lined up to sample the cuisine.
In addition to supplying the employees, Samaritan House provides the accounting, payroll services and management and marketing consulting. The Capuas run the place.
"Z" stands for Zito, Janet Capua’s maiden name. She said she named it in honor of her father, who was a fantastic cook.
All the partners were celebrating the day I visited because the cafe had reached an important milestone in May: It broke even for the first time.
Earlier in the week, Z’s had catered lunch for the Fort Worth City Council and, as it turned out, a few others. Mayor Mike Moncrief had dropped by to sample the food before placing a catering order for City Hall, Dutton said. When the city put in its order on council-meeting day, it asked for 40 lunches — enough to feed the council and staff members.
"I’ve always cooked for people, but never cooked for profit," Janet Capua said. "I catered out of my house for a year."
Carlo, a graduate of Texas Christian University, said it has been great for him to reconnect with the Fort Worth community and with family. He also said the experience to work with the residents of Samaritan House has been quite rewarding.
"It’s amazing what you find if you give someone a chance," he said, recalling one employee in particular who couldn’t read. "She memorized all the recipes.
"A couple of guys who were shy and timid have completely opened up. The transformation from the first day to now, it’s been very inspiring."
Dutton said community response has been incredible.
"I came to realize this is an educational opportunity," he said. "Why should anyone worry about people with AIDS serving food? It’s a chance to spread by word of mouth [the news] of good food and Samaritan House."
The word is spreading.
Psst, pass it on.
