Chef José Ramón Andrés Puerta

José Ramón Andrés Puerta, born on July 13, 1969, is a chef and restaurateur with dual Spanish and American nationality. Originally from Spain, he relocated to the United States in the early 1990s and has since established multiple restaurants across various American cities. Andrés has garnered numerous accolades for his culinary skills, including several James Beard Awards, as well as for his humanitarian efforts. He is also a professor and the founder of the Global Food Institute at George Washington University.

He founded World Central Kitchen (WCK), a non-profit organization dedicated to providing meals in the aftermath of natural disasters. Andrés is recognized for introducing the concept of small plates dining to America. In 2015, he was awarded the National Humanities Medal, which he received at a White House ceremony in 2016, for his work with World Central Kitchen. Additionally, he has been granted honorary doctorates from Georgetown University, George Washington University, Harvard University, and Tufts University. In March 2022, he was appointed co-chair of the United States President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition.

Chef José Ramón Andrés PuertaWiki

At 21,  Andrés moved to New York City to work at Eldorado Petit, a popular Spanish restaurant in midtown Manhattan. During his time in New York, he also gained experience at The Quilted Giraffe. In 1993, Andrés was hired to head the kitchen at Jaleo, a new tapas restaurant in Washington, D.C. Over the following years, he assisted Jaleo’s owners in opening additional restaurants, including Cafe Atlantico, Zaytinya, and Oyamel, as well as two more Jaleo locations. In 2003, Andrés created minibar, a unique dining concept featuring a six-seat counter within Cafe Atlantico. Minibar later expanded into its own twelve-seat restaurant, with reservations typically filling up within 24 hours each month, according to The Washington Post.

As Andrés opened more restaurants across the United States, his fame grew in Spain, where he starred in the cooking show *Vamos a Cocinar* starting in 2005. That same year, he published his first book, *Tapas: A Taste of Spain in America*. In 2006, Andrés co-founded ThinkFoodGroup with Robert Wilder, becoming a co-owner in his restaurants. This partnership led to the opening of additional establishments in Miami, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Puerto Rico.

In the fall of 2010, Andrés began teaching a culinary physics course at Harvard University alongside Ferran Adrià. In May 2012, he was appointed dean of Spanish Studies at The International Culinary Center, where he and Colman Andrews developed a curriculum on traditional and modern Spanish cuisine, which launched in February 2013. On October 29, 2012, Andrés announced he would teach a course on the impact of food on civilization at George Washington University. He continued teaching until 2023, when he established the Global Food Institute at the university.

World Central Kitchen (WCK) was founded in 2010. Its primary mission is to use the power of food to nourish communities and strengthen economies in times of crisis and beyond. WCK is renowned for its rapid response to natural disasters, providing freshly cooked meals to those affected and aiding in recovery efforts.

The organization operates on the belief that food can be a transformative force for good. WCK deploys chefs, food trucks, and other resources to disaster-stricken areas, ensuring that victims and first responders receive nutritious meals. Their efforts have been seen in a variety of catastrophic events, such as hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

WCK’s work goes beyond emergency relief. They also focus on long-term food security, culinary training programs, and building resilient food systems. By partnering with local chefs and food producers, WCK supports sustainable development and economic recovery in vulnerable communities.

Through its innovative approach and commitment to action, World Central Kitchen has redefined the role of food aid in disaster response and recovery, making a significant impact on countless lives around the world.

Find out more: https://wck.org