Jose Andres, the celebrity chef whose group has fed millions of people in disaster-effected areas, has been nominated for a 2019 Nobel Peace Prize.
Andres is the founder of World Central Kitchen in 2010. The group has spent eight years traveling to places like Puerto Rico, Texas, the Carolinas, and California, and providing cooked meals for families and individuals whose lives were turned upside down by tragedies, including California’s recent wildfires. Andres’ inspiration for the nonprofit was the earthquake in Haiti.
According to Time, Andres was nominated by Rep. John Delaney, D-Md., writing that Andres had provided “the most basic human need and … has proven to be world-class in this essential humanitarian field” while pointing to the millions fed as a result of his efforts.
The James Beard Foundation, a culinary arts nonprofit organization, bestowed Andres their their “Humanitarian of the Year” award for his same contributions.
“Jose’s work in Puerto Rico and Haiti shows how chefs can use their expertise and unique skills to enact profound change on a global scale,” Mitchell Davis, executive vice president of the James Beard Foundation, said. “He has demonstrated how, at the most difficult times, hot-cooked meals provide more than nutrition, they provide dignity.”
