WASHINGTON — José Andrés, a D.C.-based chef and founder of World Central Kitchen, has been named 2019 TIME for Kids "Person of the Year."
In 2010, Andrés formed World Central Kitchen, a non-profit that provides solutions to end hunger and poverty by using food to empower communities across the world.
As thousands of Bahamians and Floridians hunkered down in Hurricane Dorian's path in September, Andrés prepared thousands of ham and cheese sandwiches as part of an emergency response.
Andrés' World Central Kitchen team landed on the island of Nassau in the Bahamas. They worked out of nine emergency kitchens: five on the islands, four in Florida. Andrés, along with his network of chefs and volunteers, prepared sandwiches and fruit from a kitchen at the Atlantic Resort in the Bahamas.
When wildfires spread through California in October, WCK was on the ground 36 hours later. The team served people had to evacuate their homes and firefighters trying to extinguish the flames.
His team also served over 3.6 million meals to the people of Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria
Andrés has many awards under his belt. He was named one of TIME Magazine's "100 Most Influential People" in 2012 and 2018, and was awarded "Outstanding Chef" and "Humanitarian of the Year" by the James Beard Foundation.
Andrés earned the 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Association of Culinary Professionals, and the 2015 National Humanities Medal.
He was also named EY Master Entrepreneur of the Year in greater Washington for his leadership and impact on the business community, and was also awarded the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s Chair’s Medallion Award.
Runners up of the 2019 TIME for Kids "Person of the Year" award include The Octochamps and Boyan Slat in third place.
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