Named one of Time Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People” in both 2012 and 2018, and awarded the 2015 National Humanities Medal from President Barack Obama, Chef José Andrés is an internationally-recognized humanitarian, culinary innovator, New York Times bestselling author, and educator. In 2010, Andrés founded World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit organization that provides fresh meals in response to crises while working to build resilient food systems with locally led solutions.

As chef/owner of José Andrés Group, which operates nearly 40 restaurants in the U.S. and beyond, Andrés has earned awards and distinctions including the 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Association of Culinary Professionals and “Outstanding Chef” and “Humanitarian of the Year” by the James Beard Foundation. Andrés co-chairs the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition, and alongside World Central Kitchen was awarded the Princesa de Asturias Foundation’s 2021 Concordia Prize for humanitarian achievement. As a naturalized citizen originally from Spain, Andrés has been a tireless advocate for immigration reform.

Shortly after settling in Washington, D.C., and introducing the city to Spanish Tapas, Andrés began volunteering at DC Central Kitchen, where he started to think big about philanthropy. Over the course of his career as a chef and restaurateur, he saw the role of cooks – and the power of food – to change the world. This path inspired Andrés to found World Central Kitchen in 2010 after a devastating earthquake in Haiti, with the support of his wife Patricia, as well as his business partner Rob Wilder and his wife Robin. As World Central Kitchen’s Chief Feeding Officer, José has continued to push to share a humble plate of food while revolutionizing the emergency food relief industry.

Since its founding, Andrés and the World Central Kitchen team have served over 250 million nourishing meals to communities in almost 50 countries around the world. In 2022, Andrés and his team arrived at the Poland-Ukraine border within 24 hours of the Russian invasion, and quickly began providing meals for as many people as possible by working with local restaurants, caterers, and food trucks, while also cooking from WCK field kitchens, in Ukraine and neighboring countries. Through this effort, World Central Kitchen has delivered meals to Ukrainians across eight countries, including 1,100 cities and towns in Ukraine alone, and with over 500 restaurant, food truck, and catering partners. World Central Kitchen has mobilized a network of cooks, community organizers, and volunteer organizations to provide food, when, where, and how it’s most needed across Ukraine.