Good People Doing Good Things — Chef José Andrés

Posted on by under Global Issues, Good people doing good things, History, Social commentary, Tributes

I have written several times in the past about Chef José Andrés and his humanitarian works, and today he is back in the spotlight.  I had trouble writing this one, for more than a few times the tears blurred my vision.  If ever there was a man who qualified for sainthood, it is Chef Andrés.

Chef Andrés has helped feed firefighters who were battling wildfires in California, he opened numerous kitchens during the first year of the pandemic to feed struggling families and give jobs to displaced restaurant workers.  He showed up to feed the thousands of displaced people in New Orleans after Hurricane Ida last year and in 2018 he and his team went to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria devastated the island.  This time, however, may top all the rest, for Chef Andrés and his World Central Kitchen (WCK) team have gone to the borders of Ukraine to feed the thousands of refugees streaming into Poland, Romania, Moldova and, beginning Monday, Hungary.

The team has a three-phase plan that first addresses feeding refugees as they cross at the borders and those remaining in the country. After that, the organization plans to focus on helping feed people at refugee facilities in neighboring countries. Finally, he said, the third phase would take place once the fighting has stopped in Ukraine, and WCK would help organize trucks to enter Ukraine and establish community kitchens in various communities.

“I will make sure we don’t fail.”

On Monday, Chef José Andrés had spent nearly all day handing out plates of hot food to hungry Ukrainian women and children who had fled Russian missile attacks in their country and crossed the border into Poland and he was exhausted, but before going to bed he posted this video that I think you’ll find tells the story far better than any words I could write.

José Andrés speaks from Poland

I noticed Chef Andrés’ blurb on his Twitter page and I think he sums it up well when he says …

“We all are Citizens of the World. What’s good for you, must be good for all. If you are lost, share a plate of food with a stranger … you will find who you are.”

Chef Andrés has won numerous awards, but the one that stands out in my mind is the National Humanities Medal he was awarded in a White House ceremony in 2016.

As I wrote this, I could not help but wonder how I could help, how I could do some small something to help, so after checking my bank balance, I decided to make a small donation to help Mr. Andrés and the WCK purchase food to help the displaced Ukrainians.  My hat is off to this wonderful humanitarian and all those who travel with him on his mission to provide food to those in need.  Thank you, Chef Andrés — be safe for the world needs you!

33 thoughts on “Good People Doing Good Things — Chef José Andrés”

    • I’m glad you enjoyed the story of Chef José Andrés! I’ve long respected and admired him for his good works, but this one, I think, is beyond anything else he’s done before!

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  5. As the character Anne in the Netflix series “After Life” once said : “Good people do things for other people. That’s it. The end.” Chef Andres is the epitome of those words. Over and over again this man has seen a need, sought ways & means to fill it, and then immersed himself in the actual doing of it. World Central Kitchen (wck.org) is a worthy place to donate your funds, not just in times of crisis but whenever one is able to do so. They have a 4-Star rating with Charity Navigator so one can donate with confidence that their money is properly utilized. I also recommend GlobalGiving (globalgiving.org) which at present has a separate Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund with a $7M goal…that is already halfway there. They too are 4-Star rated by Charity Navigator and have a top rating from Better Business Bureau.
    Never underestimate what a small donation can do, small donations from many can add up to something big!
    “If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.” – Mother Teresa. YOU have surely done just that! WHAK!! Thank-you!

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      • I know you didn’t do it for a pat on the back, but I give you a thumbs up anyway! Like you, the only reason I mentioned donating to the WCK was in hopes of perhaps inspiring others to do so as well. We forget sometimes how well off we are here in the U.S. as compared to some, such as the Ukrainians.

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    • Words of wisdom … that is exactly what defines, at least in my mind, a ‘good people’! If ever there was a worthy cause, this is it, and as you say, small donations add up. Or, as a former boss of mine said at least once a day, “Peanuts make elephants.” I’m so glad you enjoyed reading about Chef Andrés, but then I’m sure you were already aware of his herculean efforts! WHAK!!!

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  6. Pingback: GOOD PEOPLE DOING GOOD THINGS – CHEF JOSE ANDRES. |jilldennison.com | Ramblings of an Occupy Liberal

  7. Just the logistics of what he is doing are amazing let alone the hard work. My late father-in-law was Ukrainian, a farming lad during World War Two. When German soldiers turned up to ‘recruit’ men from their village they thought the Germans had to be better than the Russians, so the story goes! Whatever happened in between, he ended up in an Italian prisoner of war camp and eventually a work camp in Scotland. If any of them had gone back ‘home’ that would have been the end. With the iron curtain there was never any chance to see his homeland again, he died in 1979. I hope today’s people are able to return; that is what they want. Yesterday I donated to Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain (AUGB), after hearing that suggested on the radio, just one of the charities in a good position to help now and in the coming months.

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    • What a sad story about your father-in-law! Thank you for sharing it … sometimes we forget just how lucky we are. I, too, hope that the Ukrainians are able to return to their country soon, but in all honesty, it isn’t looking good. I donate regularly to a local homeless shelter and food kitchen, and I haven’t much left, but I felt I had to do something to help the cause of feeding the Ukrainian refugees … this story tugged at my heartstrings. Thumbs up to you for your donation, my friend!

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    • He is indeed a wonderful person and his team as well! Did you know that Trump sued him? Yep … Chef Andrés had originally planned to open a restaurant in Trump Towers in D.C., but when Trump made his first campaign speech calling immigrants ‘rapists and murderers’, Chef Andrés changed his mind, not wanting to be involved with anything ‘Trump’. So, the ‘man’ who has over 6,000 lawsuits under his belt sued the good chef! Thanks, Jim … I felt that I just had to do my own small part. Were I younger, I might consider joining the World Central Kitchen team! But alas, I do well to walk upstairs to bed at night!

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  11. Pingback: Good People Doing Good Things — Chef José Andrés-March 2, 2022 – Jamaica: Political Economy

  12. Not just him but people like him are needed all over the world. For those that cannot be on the ground then donations help enormously. As there are more mouths to feed by the day everywhere.

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    • Agreed, and he couldn’t do all this on his own, so his team deserves kudos as well. You’re right … there are far more mouths to feed than most of us in the western world are aware of, and those numbers will increase considerably in the coming years if we don’t aggressively address climate change, but that is a whole ‘nother topic. Sigh.
      Cwtch

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