Celebrity chef José Andrés and his World Central Kitchen nonprofit have sent aid to Gaza, shipping almost 200 tons of food this week to Palestinians. The organization shipped the food from Cyprus on the Open Arms ship, which belongs to a Spanish nonprofit that helps vulnerable people in emergency situations.

Who is José Andrés?

Andrés, 54, is a Spanish-born chef who moved to the U.S. years ago to work in restaurants in New York City and Washington, D.C. He helped open several restaurants in the nation’s capitol and then created his own restaurants around the country, including Nubeluz, in New York City, and Jaleo by José Andrés, with locations in Washington, D.C., Orlando, Las Vegas, Chicago and Dubai.

While working in D.C., Andrés volunteered at DC Central Kitchen, which repurposes food in the city to provide for those in need. This sparked his interest in philanthropy, and he founded World Central Kitchen in 2010. Its first mission was delivering food to Haiti.
What is World Central Kitchen?

World Central Kitchen mobilizes first responders to bring meals to people affected by natural disasters, crises and humanitarian emergencies around the globe
Deploying our model of quick action, leveraging local resources, and adapting in real time, we know that a nourishing meal in a time of crisis is so much more than a plate of food — it’s hope, it’s dignity, and it’s a sign that someone cares,” the organization’s website reads.

The nonprofit recently sent food to war-torn Ukraine, to Texas during the wildfires, and to Japan following earthquakes. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, they delivered meals to children learning at home, first responders and seniors who were at risk.

The group also has a “Chef Corps” of chefs who use their local contacts to help deliver food during crises in their areas.

In April 2022, Andrés and his team were on the ground serving food out of a restaurant in Kharkiv, Ukraine — the first time he and his team operated in a war zone.

When a Russian missile struck nearby, four people with World Central Kitchen were injured.

But the attack barely slowed their operation. “What happened in the hours after was unbelievable,” correspondent Tracy Smith. “When the owner of that restaurant asked all the team members, ‘What do you want to do?’ they said, ‘We wanna keep cooking. We wanna keep fighting.'”

The organization has provided more than 350 million meals to those in need.

Gaza aid shipments

The U.N. has warned about the imminent risk of famine in Gaza, a narrow strip of land bordered by Israel, Egypt and the Mediterranean, where some 2.3 million Palestinians live. With its borders closed and war raging, an estimated 1.7 million of Gaza’s people had been displaced as of Jan. 20, according to the United Nations, with many having no access to food, water, medicine or appropriate shelter.

Malnutrition and dehydration are becoming a growing part of the humanitarian crisis.

President Biden announced during his State of the Union address last week that the U.S. military will help create temporary port on the Gaza coast to help increase the amount of humanitarian aid that can enter the area.