José Andrés

José Ramón Andrés Puerta (; born 13 July 1969) is a Spanish-American chef and restaurateur. Born in Spain, he moved to the United States in the early 1990s and since then, he has opened restaurants in several American cities. He has won a number of awards, both for his cooking (including several James Beard Awards), and his humanitarian work. He is a professor as well as the founder of the Global Food Institute at George Washington University.

Andrés is the founder of World Central Kitchen (WCK), a non-profit organization devoted to providing meals in the wake of natural disasters. He is often credited with bringing the small plates dining concept to America. He was awarded a 2015 National Humanities Medal at a 2016 White House ceremony for his work with World Central Kitchen. In addition, he has received honorary doctorates from Georgetown University, George Washington University, Harvard University, and Tufts University. In March 2022, he was named as co-chair of the United States President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition, a role he served in until he submitted his resignation one week before Donald Trump took office in January 2025.

Early life and education

José Ramón Andrés Puerta was born in Mieres, Asturias, Spain, on 13 July 1969. Andrés' family moved to Catalonia when he was 6. He enrolled in culinary school in Barcelona at the age of 15, and when he needed to fulfill his Spanish military service at the age of 18, he was assigned to cook for an admiral. He met Spanish chef Ferran Adrià in Barcelona, and he worked three years at Adrià's restaurant El Bulli in Roses, Catalonia, from 1988 to 1990. In December 1990, he was fired by Adrià and he decided to move to the United States.

Culinary career

Coming to the United States

At the age of 21, Andrés arrived in New York City to cook in Midtown Manhattan at an outpost of a popular Spanish restaurant, Eldorado Petit. During his time in New York, he also staged servings at The Quilted Giraffe. In 1993, Andrés was hired to lead the kitchen at ''Jaleo'', a new tapas restaurant in Washington, D.C. In subsequent years, he helped the owners of Jaleo to open more restaurants: Café Atlántico, Zaytinya and Oyamel, along with two more Jaleo outposts. In 2003, Andrés started a ''minibar''a restaurant space within a larger restaurantat a six-seat counter within Café Atlántico. This ''Minibar'' eventually became a stand-alone restaurant with a twelve-seat counter. Seats are released on a monthly basis; according to the ''Washington Post'' they typically are reserved within 24 hours.

Chef and restaurateur

As he opened more restaurants in the U.S., Andrés became more well known in his native country Spain, starring in his own cooking show, ''Vamos a Cocinar'', which debuted in 2005. He also published his first book, ''Tapas: A Taste of Spain in America'', in 2005. In 2006, he partnered with Robert Wilder to form ThinkFoodGroup, making Andrés a co-owner in his restaurants. Together, they opened more restaurants in Miami, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Puerto Rico.
Beginning in the fall of 2010, Andrés taught a culinary physics course at Harvard University with Ferran Adrià. In May 2012, Andrés was named dean of Spanish Studies at The International Culinary Center, where he and Colman Andrews developed a curriculum in traditional and modern Spanish cuisine, which debuted in February 2013. On 29 October 2012, he announced he was heading back to the classroom, and would teach his first course on how food shapes civilization at George Washington University. He did so until 2023, when he started the Global Food Institute at George Washington University.

Trump Hotel restaurant and lawsuit

Andrés planned to open a restaurant in the Trump International Hotel (also known as Old Post Office) in Washington, D.C., in 2016. After Donald Trump made disparaging comments about illegal Mexican immigrants in June 2015, Andrés withdrew from the contract with the Trump Organization, which then sued him. Andrés counter-sued, and the parties reached a settlement in April 2017.

The Trump International Hotel, Washington, D.C., closed on 11 May 2022. It was sold to CGI Merchant Group, and later reopened as the Waldorf Astoria Washington, D.C., on 1 June 2022. On 13 June 2022, Andrés announced that he would return to the location to open the restaurant that he had planned in the original 2015 deal. The Bazaar by José Andrés opened on 8 February 2023. Andrés remains an outspoken critic of Trump.

World Central Kitchen

The World Central Kitchen (WCK) raised almost $30 million in 2019, then $250 million in 2020. In response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake, Andrés provided locally cooked dishes specific to the region essential to comforting people touched by disasters. Since it was founded, the NGO has organized meals in the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Zambia, Peru, Cuba, Uganda, Cambodia, and in Poland on the border of Ukraine. It has provided aid and meals in the United States and Puerto Rico and has helped during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Andrés runs WCK's operations with the help of about 200 colleagues including CEO Erin Gore and Director of Emergency response Sam Bloch.

In 2021, Jeff Bezos, the owner of ''The Washington Post'' and Amazon, handed Andrés $100 million through his Courage and Civility Award. During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Andrés announced that he was going to donate a part of the $100 million to the organization to address the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.

In 2022, WCK took in $519 million in grants and donations.

On 1 April 2024, seven WCK employees in Gaza were killed by multiple Israeli drone strikes in the city of Deir al-Balah. Andrés rejected Israeli and U.S. assertions that the strike was not deliberate, stating the seven employees were "targeted deliberately" and killed "systematically, car by car". The Gaza war, he said, is "not a war against terrorism anymore" but a "war against humanity itself."

Restaurants

Along with partner Rob Wilder, Andrés owns several restaurants:

Signature restaurants

*''minibar by José Andrés'' – Washington, D.C. – several chefs serve a ''prix fixe'' menu of about 25 small courses to twelve diners at a time. Received two stars from the DC edition of the Michelin Guide in 2016.
*''barmini by José Andrés'' – Washington, D.C. – Cocktail bar adjacent to minibar.
*''é by José Andrés'' – Las Vegas – several chefs serve a ''prix fixe'' menu of about 25 small courses to nine diners at a time. Modeled after minibar and located inside ''Jaleo''.
*''The Bazaar by José Andrés'' – Miami Beach, Washington, D.C., and New York City – A combination of traditional Spanish tapas and foods inspired by molecular gastronomy.
*''Bazaar Meat by José Andrés'' – Las Vegas, Chicago, and Los Angeles (opening in 2025) – Modern, high-end steakhouse featuring imported cuts of rare meat.
*''Bar Mar by José Andrés'' – Chicago and Glendale (inside of VAI Resort) – Seafood-focused happy hour venue with a raw bar and fancy cocktails.
*''Bazaar Mar'' – Las Vegas (inside The Shops at Crystals) – Seafood-driven interactive restaurant highlighting Spanish flavors.
*''Bar Centro'' – Las Vegas (adjacent to ''Bazaar Mar'' inside The Shops at Crystals) – Spanish bakery and craft cocktail bar.
*''Nubeluz'' – New York City – Rooftop cocktail bar at the Ritz-Carlton in NoMad, Manhattan.

Other restaurants

*''Airlight'' – Downtown Los Angeles (at the Conrad Hotel) – Poolside café featuring handheld bites and creative cocktails.
*''The Beaudry Room'' – Downtown Los Angeles (at the Conrad Hotel) – Lobby bar featuring experimental cocktails and bite-sized tapas.
*''Butterfly'' — located on the rooftop of the Shay Hotel, a Destination by Hyatt property, in Culver City, California — Mexican and Latin concept featuring tacos, ceviches, and agave spirits.
*''China Chilcano by José Andrés'' – Washington, DC – Chinese, Japanese and Peruvian fusion. Included in Michelin Guide's ''Bib Gourmand'' list of exceptional restaurants at moderate prices.
*''China Poblano by José Andrés'' – Las Vegas – Chinese and Mexican fusion.
*''Fish by José Andrés'' – Paradise Island, Bahamas – Fresh Seafood and Bahamian Food
*''Jaleo by José Andrés'' – Washington, D.C., Orlando (inside of Disney Springs entertainment complex), Las Vegas, Chicago, and Dubai – Traditional Spanish tapas. DC location included in Michelin Guide's ''Bib Gourmand'' list of exceptional restaurants at moderate prices.
*''Mercado Little Spain'' – New York City – Spanish food hall in The Shops & Restaurants at Hudson Yards.
*''Oyamel'' – Washington, D.C. – Small plates and antojitos. Included in Michelin Guide's ''Bib Gourmand'' list of exceptional restaurants at moderate prices.
*''Pepe'' – Washington, D.C. (food truck) and Orlando (brick-and-mortar location inside of Disney Springs complex) – Fast-casual Spanish concept featuring sandwiches, salads, gazpacho, and more.
*''Pigtail by José Andrés'' – Chicago – Speakeasy-style cocktail bar located in the basement of Jaleo Chicago.
*''San Laurel'' – Downtown Los Angeles (at the Conrad Hotel) – An interpretation of California cuisine through a Spanish lens.
*''Spanish Diner'' – Bethesda, Maryland (spin-off of location inside of NYC's Mercado Little Spain) – A Spanish take on the classic American diner. It serves asturian cuisine dishes including Arroz a la Cubana (a plate of rice, tomato and two fried eggs with sausage and sweet banana).
*''Zaytinya'' – Washington, D.C., New York City, Miami Beach, Culver City, and Las Vegas (opening in 2025) – Small plates of food from the Mediterranean regions of Greece, Turkey, and Lebanon. Included in Michelin Guide's ''Bib Gourmand'' list of exceptional restaurants at moderate prices.

Awards and honors

Awards and prizes

* 2003 – Best Chef of the Mid-Atlantic Region, James Beard Foundation
* 2010 – Order of Arts and Letters of Spain, Spanish government
* 2010 – Vilcek Prize in Culinary Arts
* 2011 – Outstanding Chef, James Beard Foundation
* 2015 – National Humanities Medal, National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), United States government
* 2015 – Medal for Tourist Merit, in the "Internationalization" category, Spanish government
* 2017 – Lifetime Achievement Award, International Association of Culinary Professionals
* 2017 – Gold Medal of Merit in the Fine Arts, Spanish government
* 2018 – James Beard Foundation Award for Humanitarian of the Year
* 2019 – Julia Child Award from the Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts
* 2019 – '' TIME for Kids'' Person of the Year
* 2020 – John Steinbeck Award from the Martha Heasley Cox Center for Steinbeck Studies at San Jose State University.
* 2021 – Princess of Asturias Award in the category "Concord".
*2021 – Recipient of second Courage and Civility Award from Jeff Bezos at a press conference following Blue Origin's first human flight (includes to distribute to non-profit organizations of Andrés' choice)
*2022 – Order of Merit (Ukraine), 2nd class
*2023 – Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding culinary series for José Andrés and Family in Spain
*2024 – Grand Cross of Naval Merit, with white decoration, Spanish Navy
*2025 – Presidential Medal of Freedom, for being a “renowned Spanish-American culinary innovator who popularized tapas in the United States. His World Central Kitchen provides large-scale relief to communities affected by natural disasters and conflict around the world”.

Media recognition

* 2004 – Saveur 100 List, ''Saveur''
* 2004 – Chef of the Year, ''Bon Appetit''
* 2009 – Chef of the Year, '' GQ''
* 2012 – One of the world's 100 most influential people, ''Time''
* 2016 – Michelin Guide Washington, DC, 2 Michelin stars for ''minibar by José Andrés''
* 2018 – One of the world's 100 most influential people, ''Time''

Honorary degrees

* In May 2014, Andrés received an honorary doctorate degree in public service from George Washington University, and served as the university's commencement speaker at the National Mall the same year.
* In May 2018, Andrés received an honorary Doctor of Public Service degree from Tufts University and served as the commencement speaker for the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University.
* In 2019, Andrés received an honorary degree from Georgetown University.
* In May 2022, Andrés received an honorary degree from Harvard University.

Appointments

* In 2015, Andrés was appointed by President Barack Obama as an ambassador for citizenship and naturalization.
* In 2022, Andrés was appointed by President Joe Biden as co-chair of the President's Council on Sports, Fitness, & Nutrition.
* In 2024, Andrés was appointed as a member of The Earthshot Prize Council

Personal life

Andrés is married to Patricia "Tichi" Fernández de la Cruz and has three daughters; they live in Bethesda, Maryland, United States. He met his wife while they were both living in Washington, D.C.; she is originally from Cádiz, Andalusia, in the southwest of Spain. He became a naturalized U.S. citizen in December 2013.

Andrés is an avid golfer and loves cigars.

He has a collection of rare cookbooks, totalling to 1500, including an 1825 first edition of Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin's ''The Physiology of Taste'', a rents and receipts notepad from 1795 that belonged to Thomas Jefferson’s chef Honoré Julien, and an 1851 edition of '' The Virginia House-Wife'' by Mary Randolph. He has expressed a predilection for his early edition of Auguste Escoffier’s '' Ma Cuisine'', his first edition of Irma S. Rombauer's '' Joy of Cooking'', and Ángel Muro's ''El Practicón''.

Politics

On 5 November 2024, Andrés said he planned to challenge Rep. Andy Harris in the 2026 election. He called Harris, a Republican and chair of the House Freedom Caucus, a "disgrace making so many lies and hateful rhetoric."

Filmography

Bibliography

* – a book based on his Spanish cooking show ''Vamos a cocinar''.
*
* – a cookbook on tapas and Spanish cuisine
* – after Hurricane Maria in 2017, Chef José Andrés had a "crazy dream" to feed Puerto Rico.
*Andrés, José; Goulding, Matt (2019). ''Vegetables Unleashed—A Cookbook.'' Anthony Bourdain/Ecco. .
*Andrés, José; Chapple-Sokol, Sam; World Central Kitchen (2023). ''The WCK Cookbook — Feeding Hope, feeding Humanity.'' Clarkson Potter. ''ISBN 9780593579077''. – a cookbook on dishes served on the ground with his NGO and recipes celebrating the countries they have served.
*Andrés, José
Costa, Michael
(2023). ''Zaytinya — Delicious Mediterranean Dishes from Greece, Turkey, and Lebanon''. HarperCollins/Ecco Press. .

See also

* Mediterranean cuisine
* Molecular gastronomy

References

External links

joseandres.com

ThinkFoodGroup
the home page for the ventures of José Andrés
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Andres, Jose
1969 births
Living people
American male chefs
People from Mieres, Asturias
Spanish chefs
Spanish television chefs
American television chefs
American cookbook writers
Television chefs
Spanish emigrants to the United States
Spanish expatriates in the United States
Naturalized citizens of the United States
Head chefs of Michelin-starred restaurants
World Central Kitchen
Harvard University faculty
George Washington University faculty
James Beard Foundation Award winners
National Humanities Medal recipients
Order of Arts and Letters of Spain recipients
Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients
Recipients of the Order of Merit (Ukraine), 2nd class
Recipients of Princess of Asturias Awards
20th-century Spanish people
21st-century American non-fiction writers
21st-century Spanish non-fiction writers
Grand Crosses of Naval Merit
American founders