Daily Inspiration: Meet Andres Peña

Today we’d like to introduce you to Andres Peña.

Hi Andres, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.

I moved from Boston to Venice in 2019 chasing a lifelong dream of living on the West Coast. I grew up between Boston, Colombia, and Venezuela before settling in North Carolina for school, eventually returning to Boston where I spent ten years in the hospitality and restaurant world. That’s where my passion for food, service, and community really took off.

After a decade in Boston, California was calling. I moved to Venice, moved in with my cousin Jose, and started working at Scopa Italian Roots while exploring my own creative projects. During the pandemic, the idea for Kitchen El Camino came to life. I always wanted a food truck, but the costs and permits were intense—so I leaned into LA street culture and decided to build a mobile food stand instead.

I’ve always loved classic cars, and when I saw a 1964 Chevy El Camino, it clicked: I could build a full kitchen right in the back. After months of searching, designing, and learning a bit of welding and woodworking—with help from friends—the mobile kitchen was born. Once it was built, I formed my LLC, got insured, and started taking on catering gigs.

My first big break was with The Motoring Club in Venice. From there, I began serving arepas on weekends at Upshift Brewing, honoring the food I grew up on. Word spread quickly. I got featured on KTLA, Food Truck Diaries, partnered with brands like Bacardi and Titos, and started doing pop-ups all over town. I even did a few full restaurant take overs showcasing dishes from my Colombian and Venezuelan heritage at —The Dudley Market, Corner Door, Nighthawk and more. Getting to share my culture and the food I grew up eating with others felt great, what felt even cooler was that I was doing it all out of the back of an American classic!

Today, I focus mainly on private events and catering—sometimes rolling up with the El Camino, other times cooking on-site as a private chef. Taking the leap to California changed my life, and I’m grateful for everyone who helped me build this dream: my Venice family, Scopa crew, my parents, my brother, my cousin, my beautiful wife to be and her family —everyone I know and had the pleasure of meeting along the way has played a huge part in the process and success of my story, so thank you!

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?

It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Running a business solo means I’m the marketer, the buyer, the prep cook, the operator, and the one breaking everything down at the end. Even with a great team to support day-of service, most of the work happens behind the scenes and falls on me.

People don’t realize a single event usually takes 3–4 days between shopping, prep, execution, and cleaning. In the early stages, it was all about exposure and getting the brand out there. Over time, through pop-ups and word of mouth, I built a solid client base that now keeps me busy with private events.

Private events allow better planning, less waste, and more profit, but pop-ups keep me visible and connected to the community. One of my challenges is balancing the work with documenting it—social media moves fast, but I always prioritize the client in front of me.

There are ups and downs, like with any creative hustle, but every obstacle has taught me something. I feel lucky that the journey has had more ups than downs, and it’s pushed me to grow in ways I never expected.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?

What I do is provide a service that I care for. I’m a small business owner still learning every day. I’ve worked many jobs in the industry and changed careers a handful of times. Hospitality has been my home for over 15 years and honestly it’s always been part of who I am. I’m a people person—I connect easily, I stay optimistic, and I love creating experiences for others.

I currently work as a server a few nights a week at a high-end restaurant, which gives me the balance and flexibility I need to run Kitchen El Camino. It’s a perfect blend of stability and creative chaos that keeps me hungry and grounded.

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?

I’ve always surrounded myself with people who challenge themselves and encourage me to do the same. My parents are my biggest inspiration—a perfect blend of yin and yang who taught me resilience, curiosity, and hard work. I’m grateful for the sacrifices they made so that my brother and I could pursue our dreams.

I also want to thank my friends, coworkers, peers, and everyone who has been part of this journey. I’m far from done, but I wouldn’t be here without all of you.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @kitchenelcamino
• Other: [email protected]