Chef José Andrés is known around the world as a Michelin star culinary artist and owner of award-winning restaurants including Agua Viva, Bazaar Meat and Pigtail. When the entrepreneur isn’t getting creative in the kitchen, perfecting cookbooks, traveling with his family for their Discovery+ streaming show or working on his podcast, Longer Tables, Chef Andrés is dedicating time and energy to humanitarian service. Andrés is founder of World Central Kitchen, a non-profit organization that provides fresh meals in response to crises. Lions International is honoring Chef Andrés’ impactful work with the 2023 Lions Humanitarian Award during the 105th Lions Clubs International Convention on July 10, 2023. World Central Kitchen CEO Erin Gore will accept the award on Chef Andrés’ behalf.
Chef José Andrés is a man of action in humanitarian efforts and truly shows the world that food can help us rebuild after even the most unthinkable challenges.
Cooking from the heart is an Andrés family tradition. The ambitious creative began his culinary journey alongside his parents at their home kitchen in Spain before the chef started formal training at one of the world’s most notable restaurants, Ferran Adrià’s El Bulli.
Chef Andrés immigrated to the United States in 1991 and has continued to change the world through the power of food at his dozens of revolutionary restaurants and international humanitarian organization, World Central Kitchen, which works to feed communities impacted by tragedies.
Chef Andrés founded World Central Kitchen in 2010 to fill not only stomachs but hearts and minds, too. The nonprofit organization is often first to the frontlines, providing fresh meals in response to crises while working to build resilient food systems with locally-led solutions. To date, World Central Kitchen has served more than 300 million nourishing meals around the world.
The Lions Humanitarian Award is the association's highest honor, given to an individual or an organization with exemplary humanitarian efforts. This award comes with a Lions Clubs International Foundation grant for up to US$250,000 to a charitable organization for continuing humanitarian activities. Chef Andrés joins a distinguished list of prior recipients, including Mother Teresa, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Denis Mukwege.
"We are truly honored to present this award to Chef José Andrés, whose work is changing lives and making a profound impact on the world," said Lions International President Brian Sheehan. "As Lions, we strive to ensure all communities have access to nutritious food. Not only is Chef Andrés a highly respected mover and shaker in the culinary field, he is also a man of action in humanitarian efforts and truly shows the world that food can help us rebuild after even the most unthinkable challenges.”
Learn more about the Lions Humanitarian Award and see our list of winners at https://www.lionsclubs.org/humanitarian-winners.
Learn more about World Central Kitchen at: https://www.wck.org/
Want to hear more about World Central Kitchen in person? Then register for the 2023 Lions International Convention in Boston today.
Hannah Zettl is a public relations specialist for Lions International.
