The founder of World Central Kitchen, a non-profit devoted to providing meals in the wake of natural disasters, will also donate meals to families who can't pay for meals during the coronavirus crisis
In an emotional video posted on Twitter, the renowned chef lamented the crushing financial blow that the forced covid-19-related closures are having on the restaurant industry. But he also called on those who can to try to be part of the solution and help their communities.
"Restaurants like ours, we're going to have to be, in some parts of America, at the forefront of providing relief, to people who maybe cannot go to the supermarket or who live in food deserts where there are no supermarkets," he said. "We're going to have to think outside the box and adapt to the circumstances."
Late at night 2:00 and is amazing how on every supermarket, farmers markets Etc women and men like them will work non stop to replenish every shelve. Next to the Medical staff across the world, people like them are and will be heroes to keep humanity fed! Thank them! #CoronaVirus pic.twitter.com/6J006BbPpU
— José Andrés (@chefjoseandres) March 16, 2020
Andrés has converted restaurants Zaytinya, Oyamel, Jaleo, America Eats Tavern into takeaway kitchens. Digital menus and PayPal ensure a contact-free experience.
It's the latest in a long line of emergency food relief projects for the chef. Through his non-profit group World Central Kitchen, most recently Andrés also helped provide meals to stranded, quarantined cruise passengers aboard ships docked in Oakland, California and Yokohama, Japan.