As a boy growing up in Spain, José Andrés loved to help his father by gathering wood for his family’s outdoor cooking fire and tending it while the rice cooked to perfection. José’s father assured him that his was an important job, nurturing in his son an awareness of the significance of each task and step in the cooking process.
Filled with ambition, an adventurous spirit, and a desire to spread his wings, José wanted to do more with his life and culinary dreams. He longed to create the magic of his mother’s recipes, driven by his growing understanding that food was never just food; it was always connected to memory and home.
When José left home as a young adult, he apprenticed at a world-famous restaurant in Catalonia, Spain, spurred on by “the stories he wanted to tell with food” and the possibilities of innovating and exploring recipes. A vision began to form in his mind, the wish “that everyone everywhere had enough food.”
In a remarkable series of transitions, José moved to America and took to heart two words in the preamble of the United States Constitution: “We the people.” His response? “Not ME, José thought, WE. Everyone deserved a hot meal. Not just the few ... but the many.”
When José became involved in food preparation for people affected by natural disasters, his vision expanded: “No one should ever go hungry. I want to help feed the world.” The name he gave his dream? World Central Kitchen.
In an author’s note, Erin Frankel describes the World Central Kitchen’s impact: “José Andrés was nominated for the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his disaster relief efforts. His impact is far-reaching. Since its founding in 2010, World Central Kitchen has expanded its reach around the globe—serving more than 300 million fresh, nourishing meals in response to natural and human-made disasters.” Every meal that was served was motivated by José Andrés’s motto: “You have not been forgotten. You are not alone.”
Illustrator Paola Escobar’s cheerful, hopeful illustrations complete Erin Frankel’s narrative by capturing the triumph and nourishing outcome of José Andrés’s magnificent vision. Christian readers might find in this story glimpses of an example of the fulfillment of Jesus’ command to feed the hungry and to care for needy people. (Random House Studio)
About the Author
Sonya VanderVeen Feddema is a freelance writer and a member of Covenant CRC in St. Catharines, Ontario.