Among the numerous Spanish culinary lunch establishments dotting Broadway sits a small cafe with a thriving catering operation. Essence of Thyme Cafe and Catering of Chelsea—which operates two additional locations in Hyde Park and Nashua, NH—pursues a distinctive mission: teaching individuals with developmental delays culinary skills on the job to foster their independence and maximize their capabilities. The organization employs seasoned chefs who prepare high-quality meals while simultaneously instructing people with developmental disabilities in practical kitchen work that offers genuine career prospects. Staff members acquire training in cooking, cleaning, organization, and the fundamentals of kitchen management while participating in a competitive catering enterprise. Some clients produce handcrafted items sold in the stores. Individuals trained through ETC work in the cafes and prepare breakfast and lunch for neighborhood customers, while also playing a vital role in the company’s expanding school lunch catering division. For nearly 20 years, this catering service has produced over 700 meals daily and delivered hot breakfasts and lunches to private and charter schools throughout the state. The ETC team also managed the corporate cafeteria at Oracle in Burlington and Nashua for more than a decade. These ETC employees enable the company to succeed in daily catering competitions—frequently emerging victorious. The organization continues to grow its client base. “The skills learned at ETC transfer to many other community kitchens so that real jobs can be obtained once the training is completed,” said Cindy Anderson, the food service director.
Busy Chelsea Cafe has special mission
