Humanitarian chef who has fed those in need all over the world coming to Kentucky
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Tornadoes: Latest updates from ravaged Kentucky
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Chef Jose Andres has fed people in Puerto Rico after a hurricane, in Haiti after an earthquake, around the world after COVID hit and now he’s in Kentucky.
With thousands without power or water in hard-hit Western Kentucky after this weekends deadly tornadoes, providing hot food became a priority for survivors.
“People of America ... tragic day for so many families. I am at DCA airport flying to meet with @WCKitchen team in Kentucky responding to the tornadoes,” Andres tweeted. “We are working with chefs... food trucks & have WCK teams now in may communities. Will update from the ground soon. #ChefsForKentucky.”
His not-for-profit World Central Kitchen, a humanitarian effort that organizes food trucks and chefs to provide emergency food relief, provided hundreds of meals in Mayfield on Saturday while search and rescue efforts continued at the candle factory where more than 100 people were trapped by the Dec. 10 tornado.
Andres flew out of Washington, D.C., to come to Kentucky after tweeting at Gov. Andy Beshear, “We are here for your people Sir! @WCKitchen #ChefsForKentucky we will help feed anyone in need...”
Andres posted a video saying that “I always said that where ever there is a fight, so hungry people and people in need may eat, that we will be there. There is not much to say in those moments because you feel so powerless. ... I think I’m landing in Nashville and from there I’ll be driving for one or two hours.”
World Central Kitchen said they have relief teams in Bowling Green, where they provided meals to families, and Princeton and in Arkansas.
“It’s definitely a logistical challenge with lots of pockets of need spread out across a very large region,” said Sam Bloch, director of field operations at World Central Kitchen in a Tweet posted online. “But we’re no strangers to this work and the challenges it presents. Just happy to be supporting work like this. In addition to work like this, we’ll be looking at shelters, at people who are sheltering in place, widespread electrical power outages across the whole region. And as we begin we’ll keep you updated and to meet needs as they arise.”
How to donate to World Central Kitchen
A fundraiser organized online to help provide for the meals had raised more than $13,000 so far. You can donate online at donate.wck.org/fundraiser/2715960
After Andres tweeted out his video, people responded, asking him to help family members in Mayfield without water and electricity.
Andres tweeted that he would find them and make sure they are OK.
“Everywhere I go I just see good people that believe in longer tables. ... Kentucky will make it through,” Andres tweeted.
Louisville LEE Initiative taking donations
The LEE Initiative, a hospitality industry non-profit headquartered in Louisville, also is working World Central Kitchen in Mayfield, providing food trucks on Sunday and Monday.
They are developing plans for providing food in coming weeks, including over the Christmas holidays when many people are likely to still be in shelters, said Collis Hillebrand of LEE Initiative.
To donate, you can go to leeinitiative.kindful.com.
This story was originally published December 12, 2021 at 10:06 AM.
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