Consider some of the natural disasters or humanitarian emergencies faced around the world in recent years, from 2017 Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico to 2019 Hurricane Barry in Arkansas, US, the 2020 Beirut explosion, and, most recently, the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Chef José Andrés has made his way to the frontlines of all these events, where he has been ladling out food to those in need as part of non-profit World Central Kitchen, which he founded in 2010.
The Spanish chef cut his teeth working under Ferran Adrià at El Bulli, before moving to America, where he is credited with pioneering Spanish tapas. He now has restaurants in most of the nation’s major cities, from New York and Chicago to Las Vegas, L.A. and Washington, DC, with dining concepts that range from food trucks to casual eateries to Michelin-starred fining dining restaurants, the latter including his Minibar by José Andrés.