Chef José Andrés, recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom and one of Time magazine’s “100 Most Influential People” in 2012 and 2018, is an internationally recognized chef, humanitarian, educator, and New York Times bestselling author.

Born and trained in Spain, José moved to the United States at age 21. He holds close both his identity as a Spanish immigrant and a naturalized American citizen, and has been a tireless advocate for immigration reform. He settled in Washington, DC, and began volunteering at DC Central Kitchen, where he started to think big about the impact food could have in improving lives. Over the course of his career as a chef and restaurateur, he recognized the role of the culinary industry – and the power of food – to change the world. This vision inspired José to found World Central Kitchen in 2010 after a devastating earthquake in Haiti. José’s work as a global food systems leader has been recognized with the National Humanities Medal, the James Beard Foundation’s Humanitarian of the Year Award, and the Princess of Asturias Foundation’s Concordia Prize. In 2021, he received the inaugural Bezos Courage and Civility Award, which helped launch the Longer Tables Fund.