Echo names new kitchen manager and workforce development leader
New manager to reduce waste and train residents
– El Camino Homeless Organization has announced the addition of Anthony Allesmith, known as The Prancing Chef, as its new kitchen manager and head of the organization’s workforce development program.
Allesmith will oversee ECHO’s kitchen operations and lead the workforce development program, which trains residents for careers in the food service industry. His responsibilities include ensuring meals are both nutritious and appealing, reducing food waste, and cultivating a productive kitchen environment.
The workforce development program, supported by Must! Charities, provides residents with job training and certification. In 2024, all participants earned ServSafe Food Handler certifications, and more than 75 percent secured employment following completion of the program.
“ECHO has been a salve to ease my culinary burnout. For so long, I struggled with my relationship with food—to the point I debated giving up cooking altogether. Almost within my first day at ECHO, I felt the cooling sensation of having a purpose. My food now has a drive, and I’ve found the sparkle that originally earned me the nickname ‘The Prancing Chef,’” said Allesmith.
More information about ECHO and its programs is available at www.echoshelter.org.
