José Andrés Is Feeding Thousands in Puerto Rico

Since arriving in Puerto Rico last week, chef José Andrés has made good on his promise to cook for those in need and has fed tens of thousands of people across the island. Along with his nonprofit World Central Kitchen, Andrés, who is known for restaurants in D.C. as well as his acts of heroism, has mobilized food trucks, prepared and delivered thousands of sandwiches, and made some massive paellas that he expected to feed 6,000 people alone.

After Hurricane Maria decimated on September 20, Andrés quickly mobilized, calling on volunteers and donations, to aid the victims who have been left without electricity and a food supply for the foreseeable future. On Twitter, the chef has provided frequent video updates on the the status of resources on the island, in addition to a daily meal count — he served 13,000 meals on Saturday in San Juan, and delivered 1,000 meals in Cataño and 2,000 in Ponce on Sunday.

Currently, Andrés is in El Tuque near Ponce, an community with no water or generators. In a video update yesterday, the chef announced that he and his volunteers would set up a kitchen in the area to serve 10,000 meals a day for at least the next week.

Andrés has also used his platform to criticize President Trump’s lack of response to what the governor of Puerto Rico has declared a “humanitarian crisis.” Yesterday, Andrés unleashed a series of tweets describing what he would do “If I was @realDonaldTrump,” including those tasks that Andrés has taken on himself, like feeding hospital employees, activating food trucks, supporting San Juan’s mayor, who the President attacked on Twitter for “poor leadership,” and of course, simply being there.

Update 12:15 p.m.: In a live Twitter video update, Andrés announced that tomorrow, he and World Central Kitchen will deliver 50,000 meals. With the help of partners from the community, he hopes to be able to deliver 100,000 meals daily by the end of the week, including sandwiches, burgers, and arroz con pollo.

• @chefjoseandres [Twitter]
• José Andrés Flew to Puerto Rico to Cook for Hurricane Maria Victims [E]
• Chefs Step Up Relief Efforts in Puerto Rico as Food Supplies Run Low [E]