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José Andrés is a Spanish-American chef, restaurateur, and humanitarian, famend for his progressive culinary ventures and philanthropic efforts. He’s the founding father of World Central Kitchen (WCK), a nonprofit group devoted to offering meals within the wake of pure disasters and humanitarian crises. Past his humanitarian work, he has been instrumental in popularizing Spanish delicacies, notably the idea of tapas, throughout the USA.
Discover out extra about him beneath.
José Andrés Is a Legendary Chef
José Ramón Andrés Puerta was born in July 1969 in Mieres, Asturias, Spain. Whereas rising up outdoors Barcelona, José enrolled in cooking college on the age of 15. He attended the Faculty of Eating places and Inns of Barcelona, in keeping with PBS, and skilled in “Michelin-starred eating places together with El Bulli with world-renowned Grasp Chef and buddy Ferran Adrià.” He discovered his technique to the USA, working with Rob Wilder and Roberto Alvarez’s Proximo eating places. José, whereas heading the kitchen at Jaleo, helped create one of many first critically and commercially profitable tapas eating places in the USA and is credited with introducing Individuals to avant-garde and conventional Spanish cooking.
He’s a Humanitarian
José is the founding father of World Central Kitchen, a 15-year-old non-profit.
“In 2010, my spouse Patricia and I had a giant dream to start out World Central Kitchen,” wrote José on the World Central Kitchen’s mission web page. “We envisioned a corporation that might use meals to empower communities and strengthen economies, and for a few years we noticed an incredible influence via our clear cookstoves initiative, culinary coaching packages, and social enterprise ventures. However we had no concept we might someday be answering calls in Puerto Rico and world wide to serve meals within the aftermath of catastrophe – and we rapidly realized that meals is a strong software to heal communities in instances of disaster and past.”
World Central Kitchen was elementary in aiding Puerto Rico when it was devastated by Hurricane Maria in 2017, per the Washingtonian, and José remodeled into the nation’s “humanitarian in chief” throughout that disaster. At any time when a hurricane made landfall, World Central Kitchen was there, providing assist. It continued to assist with the COVID-19 pandemic when America’s meals banks had been projecting a $1.4-billion shortfall.
In 2024, World Central Kitchen served greater than 109 million meals throughout 20 nations. That very same 12 months, tragedy struck when seven WCK workforce members had been killed by an Israeli navy strike in Gaza.
“This was not only a unhealthy luck state of affairs the place, ‘Oops, we dropped a bomb within the mistaken place,’” Andrés advised Reuters, emphasizing that the autos had been clearly marked and “it’s very clear who we’re and what we do.” At a memorial for the fallen assist employees, José stated, “We’re all consumed with anger, remorse, and sorrow.”
He’s a Trainer
In 2010, José taught a course in culinary physics at Harvard, per The Washington Publish. In 2012, he was named Dean of Spanish Research at The Worldwide Culinary Heart. Later that 12 months, he taught at George Washington College.
He Sued Donald Trump
In 2016, José had deliberate to open a restaurant named Topo Atrio within the newly renovated Outdated Publish Workplace Pavilion on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington. However, after Donald Trump introduced his presidential candidacy by despairing undocumented Mexican immigrants, José withdrew the contract. Trump sued José, and the chef fired again with a counter-lawsuit, per the Washington Publish. Although Trump boasted that he by no means settles lawsuits (though he does so repeatedly, because the Washington Publish famous), he and José settled in 2017. The phrases weren’t disclosed, and José continued to be an outspoken critic of Trump.
He Acquired a $100 Million Grant from Jeff Bezos
In 2021, Jeff Bezos awarded José $100 million to assist his work with World Central Kitchen.
Following his spaceflight on July 20, 2021, the Amazon founder launched the Braveness & Civility Award—a philanthropic initiative granting recipients $100 million to donate to the charities or nonprofits of their selection. The primary honorees had been CNN’s Van Jones and chef-humanitarian José.
“I’m so honored. I’m actually grateful for this award and the unimaginable assist from you, Jeff, and your complete Bezos household,” stated José throughout the occasion.
Jeff Bezos presents World Central Kitchen founder @chefjoseandres with the brand new $100 million Braveness and Civility Award.
“Let’s feed the world,” Andrés says. pic.twitter.com/xI62ZPrnlS
— Cheddar Information 🧀 (@cheddar) July 20, 2021
He Was Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom
In recognition of his vital contributions, José was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the best civilian honor in the USA, by former President Joe Biden in January 2025.
