Written by Jaden Parker
“Food is symbolic of love when words are inadequate.” That’s what Alan D. Wolfelt said some time ago, and I think it perfectly captures the nonprofit we are highlighting this month. In 2010, Chef José Andrés went to Haiti following the earthquake that formed along the Léogâne fault. There, he learned from the families about how to properly cook black beans. This was the start of World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit whose main focus is comfort food.
José and his wife Patricia started World Central Kitchen (WCK) to give food to those in need. “When you need medical service, you bring doctors and nurses. When you need the rebuilding of infrastructure, you bring in engineers and architects. And if you have to feed people, you need professional chefs,” Chef Andrés says. Together, they’ve positively impacted the lives of people around the world. Their resilience programs provide communities with long-term culinary solutions for recovering from all sorts of devastation.
They have three beautiful projects under the umbrella of “Legacy Programs” that specialize in directly helping others. First, there is the Atelier des Chefs culinary school—formerly known as École des Chefs Culinary School—that prepares future chefs to work in local Haiti restaurants. Chef Mi-Sol Chevallier leads the troop of culinary artists to be in disaster areas within 24 hours. Next is the Clean Cooking program that is used to help communities in the Caribbean and Central America transition to a cleaner way of cooking, resulting in lower carbon emissions. Finally, they have the Food Producer Network. Started in 2017, the network financially contributes toward food production and sustainability in many places including Guatemala, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Bahamas.
As if that wasn’t enough, they’ve been supporting Ukraine through the hashtag #ChefsforUkraine through funding from Laurene Powell Jobs. A video of the work they’re doing there can be found here. Their aid in Kyiv, Kramatorsk, Lviv, Kharkiv, Donetsk, and Kherson have helped thousands of people survive the terrors occurring in their homeland. Food knows no bounds; so although they’re stationed in south Poland, they are finding a way to reach people in places that are under fire.
In just 2022, they have used Urgency of Now to access hungry families on thirty different occasions. “The WCK approach is that we should always work with urgency, listen to communities, and adapt,” their website says. Their Chef Corps is a network of chefs who help people in need through cooking. They allow easier and quicker access and ensure immediate volunteers to quickstart food assistance. Interested in joining? Scroll to the bottom of this page and email the Chef Corps Manager.
“Food is a Universal Right” was the first thing to catch my eye when I was checking out their website. José and Patricia—along with their team—are providing for people in ways that go beyond just sending a dollar to a charity. They are the foot soldiers of food, the meal military. “Deploying our model of quick action, leveraging local resources, and adapting in real time, we know that a nourishing meal in a time of crisis is so much more than a plate of food—it’s hope, it’s dignity, and it’s a sign that someone cares,” they say, and I couldn’t agree more. Everyone has their Ratatouille moment of eating something that nourishes you on an entirely different level. The World Central Kitchen is giving that feeling to people across the world, and we at ALLMYNE are so happy to be showcasing them this month.
Want to donate? World Central Kitchen gives you a bunch of options including fundraising, all of which can be found on their Donation Page. They have a cookbook coming out that you can preorder. The recipes are inspired by all the places the team has gone, and all proceeds support WCK. Click this link to get your copy on September 12. They have volunteering opportunities as well if you want to join the nourishing navy. Finally, you can check out their Disney+ documentary We Feed People. Check out the behind the scenes on their website.
