For his work in Puerto Rico and Haiti following natural disasters, Chef José Andrés, a naturalized U.S. citizen, has been recognized by the James Beard Foundation as Humanitarian of the Year. Andrés and his non-profit, the World Central Kitchen, served over 3.3 million means in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria through the Chefs for Puerto Rico campaign:
“José’s work in Puerto Rico and Haiti shows how chefs can use their expertise and unique skills to enact profound change on a global scale," said Mitchell Davis, executive vice president of the James Beard Foundation, in a statement. "He has demonstrated how, at the most difficult times, hot-cooked meals provide more than nutrition, they provide dignity. And we couldn’t imagine a more fitting honoree this year as we celebrate how chefs and our industry Rise.”
Andrés went to Puerto Rico just days after the storm hit, at first financing the food through his own personal credit cards and cash. During its peak, Chefs for Puerto Rico had 18 kitchens throughout the island at a cost of nearly $500,000 daily, including a coliseum where he and up to 500 volunteers prepared more than 60,000 meals every day. Andrés established World Central Kitchen after his first visit to a quake-ravaged Haiti in 2010:
“I am honored to be receiving and sharing this award with my team at World Central Kitchen, #ChefsforPuertoRico, #ChefsforCalifornia, good friends like Robert Egger and LA Kitchen, DC Central Kitchen and all of the incredible people I have been fortunate to meet over the years through the simple act of cooking a hot meal," Andrés said in a statement about receiving the award. "Whether it’s teaching and preparing a meal alongside people who have just started a new chapter, empowering communities through clean cookstoves, or cooking meals for people who have experienced unimaginable devastation, I’ve learned that food is powerful. It nourishes, but it also has the power to be an agent of hope and change."
Andrés has continued to return to both Puerto Rico and Haiti to continue his efforts. “When we go to a place,” he said last October, “we take care of that place until we feel it has the right conditions to sustain itself. That’s what a relief organization should be.” Thank you to Andrés, his kitchen, and volunteers for being heroes. Next up: Nobel Peace Prize?