Chef José Andrés Has Been On The Front Lines Of The COVID Crisis Since The Very Beginning

With over two dozen restaurant properties, a few Michelin stars, and a couple of James Beard awards under his belt, José Andrés could have gone the route of any other celebrity chef and stopped there, enjoying fame and fortune and making a few appearances at fancy fundraisers. But the Spanish-American chef, who gained his reputation in DC and is widely credited with bringing Tapas to America, set his sights not only on philanthropy, but also on direct action and activism.  

In response to the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Andrés founded World Central Kitchen, a non-profit, non-governmental agency that provides first response aid in the wake of natural disasters. In the years following, Andrés and WCK have led relief efforts in Puerto Rico following the destruction caused by Hurricane Maria, served meals in Houston after Hurricane Harvey, and aided Californians after multiple wildfires. 

Now, unsurprisingly, he's back on the ground, serving up meals on the front lines of the coronavirus crisis. Starting way back in February (which feels like a lifetime ago now), WCK supplied meals to the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship docked in Japan, then mobilized across the U.S. with its #ChefsForAmerica initiative, safely distributing meals in vulnerable communities, as well as supporting local restaurants and food workers by providing jobs.

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@WCKitchen has been feeding the staff for weeks with @BloombergDotOrg...We have 3 food trucks here every day serving hot meals...take a look! #ChefsForAmerica
A post shared by Jose Andres (@chefjoseandres) on May 20, 2020 at 8:14am PDT

And it's not just his org putting the work in - Andrés himself has consistently been on site at hospitals in NYC, children's centers in Maryland, the Navajo Nation in Arizona, senior centers in Chicago, and more, all while working with legislators to increase federal funds to provide food for Americans in need. Between all that, he's also somehow found the time to cook with his daughters. 

So let's take a moment to appreciate this true force of good in the world - then, let's help him with his mission! You can donate to World Central Kitchen HERE and learn about ways you can volunteer HERE. 

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we are today cooking a pasta dish with eggplants and chickpeas, dedicated to all of the first responders, the police and firefighters who are still going to work every day, making sure all of us are safe as we go through out daily lives. We are giving #Hamilton a break, instead we are cooking to @rosalia.vt ...her song Malamente is so beautiful, it makes you want to dance, move, cook!! So here it is, Pasta, eggplant, chickpeas ... let’s go! Get some water boiling … not a lot! People, we do not need to be using so much water when we boil pasta. Then get your chickpeas open, your canned tomatoes, chop a whole peeled eggplant, an onion, garlic (naked today!), then some cheese if you have. Some spices, whatever is in your pantry.. Cumin, pimentón, sumac? Anything you want!! Get the pasta boiling, you can add some of the chickpea water into the pasta water for extra texture and flavor. Saute the garlic and onion, maybe a chili. Add the eggplant to the onions and garlic, saute and sing along, maybe some opera! When the eggplant is a little cooked, the onion is a little translucent, then we add the spices, as much as you want. Then add the chickpeas, some tomato sauce (either canned or already made…up to you.) Toss the cooked pasta (with all the water! IS now the sauce) into the chickpeas, carefully to not break the pasta. Add some salt to taste, some olive oil, some more sumac, top with some sour cream of cheese if you want it. Then serve it .. Malamente!!
A post shared by Jose Andres (@chefjoseandres) on Apr 13, 2020 at 7:21pm PDT