José Andrés

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.

José Andrés
Andrés in 2012
Born	José Ramón Andrés Puerta (1969-07-13) 13 July 1969 (age 54) Mieres, Asturias, Spain
Nationality	Spanish American (since 2013)
Occupation	Chef
Spouse	Patricia Fernández de la Cruz
Children	3
Awards	Michelin stars

Andrés is the founder of World Central Kitchen (WCK), a non-profit 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.

Andrés received widespread popular attention in April 2024, when seven WCK workers in Gaza were killed by Israeli military airstrikes in the city of Deir al-Balah during the World Central Kitchen aid convoy attack. Andrés has rejected assertions that the strike was not deliberate. In response, he labeled the conduct of the Israel Defense Forces "not a war against terrorism anymore" but a "war against humanity itself."

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 complete his Spanish military service at age 18, he was assigned to cook for an admiral. He met Ferran Adrià in Barcelona, and he worked three years at El Bulli, from 1988 to 1990. In December 1990, he was fired by Adrià and decided to move to the United States.

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: Cafe Atlantico, Zaytinya and Oyamel, along with two more Jaleo outposts. In 2003, Andrés started minibar – a restaurant space within a larger restaurant – at a six-seat counter within Cafe Atlantico. Minibar eventually became a stand alone restaurant that has 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 US, Andrés became more well-known in his native 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, LLC, 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.

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.

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. Early 2023 Andrés collaborated with the US government and he worked with the United States Department of State as a member of the “American Culinary Corps”, a partnership with the James Beard Foundation.

Israel-Hamas war

During the Israel–Hamas war, on 16 October 2023 Andrés responded to a tweet on X by Ione Belarra, Spanish Minister for Social Rights criticizing the Israeli treatment of Palestinian civilians and for "not letting in humanitarian aid (no dejan entrar ayuda humanitaria)." Andrés wrote that Netanyahu was "defending Israeli citizens" (está defendiendo a sus ciudadanos…). He expressed his opinion that prime minister Pedro Sánchez should fire Belarra.

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

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.
• 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 2024) – Modern, high-end steakhouse featuring imported cuts of rare meat.

 

Other restaurants:

• Agua Viva – Downtown Los Angeles (at the Conrad Hotel) – Rooftop restaurant with beach club theme that focuses on flavors from across the Latin and Asian diaspora.
• Airlight – Downtown Los Angeles (at the Conrad Hotel) – Poolside café featuring handheld bites and creative cocktails.
• Bar Mar by José Andrés – Chicago – Seafood-focused happy hour venue with a raw bar and fancy cocktails.
• barmini by José Andrés – Washington, D.C. – Cocktail bar adjacent to minibar.
• Beefsteak – Washington, D.C. (on campus of George Washington University) – Vegetable-focused fast-casual restaurant.
• The Beaudry Room – Downtown Los Angeles (at the Conrad Hotel) – Lobby bar featuring experimental cocktails and bite-sized tapas.
• Butterfly Tacos y Tortas — located inside of Audi Field in Washington, DC — Mexican and Latin fast-casual concept.
• Café by the River – Chicago – All-day coffee shop and café.
• 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.
• Nubeluz – New York City – Rooftop cocktail bar at the Ritz-Carlton in NoMad, Manhattan.
• 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.
• SED by José Andrés – Downtown Los Angeles (at the Conrad Hotel) – Craft cocktail bar highlighting seasonality and local ingredients.
• Spanish Diner – Bethesda, Maryland (spin-off of location inside of NYC's Mercado Little Spain) – A Spanish take on the classic American diner.
• Zaytinya – Las Vegas, Washington, D.C., and New York City – 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 prizes

• 2003 – Best Chef of the Mid-Atlantic Region, James Beard Foundation
• 2010 – Orden de las Artes y las Letras de España – Order of Arts and Letters, Cabinet of Spain
• 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
• 2017 – Lifetime Achievement Award, International Association of Culinary Professionals
• 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
• 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 US$100 million 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

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

• Andrés received in May 2014, 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.

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.

José is an avid golfer and loves cigars. He has a collection of rare cookbooks, totalling to 1500, including an 1825 first edition of “Physiology of Taste”; a rents and receipts notepad from 1795 that belonged to Honoré Julien, Thomas Jefferson’s chef; and a 1851 edition of “The Virginia House-wife” written 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 “The Joy of Cooking” and Ángel Muro’s “El Practicón”.

• Andrés, José (2007). Vamos a Cocinar (in Spanish). Planeta Pub Corp. ISBN 978-8408070368. – a book based on his Spanish cooking show Vamos a cocinar.
• Andrés, José; Wolffe, Richard (November 2008). Made in Spain: Spanish Dishes for the American Kitchen. Clarkson Potter. ISBN 978-0-307-38263-4.
• Andrés, José; Wolffe, Richard (November 2005). Tapas: A Taste Of Spain In America. Clarkson Potter. ISBN 978-1-4000-5359-9. – a cookbook on tapas and Spanish cuisine
• Andrés, José; Wolffe, Richard (2018). We Fed an Island: The True Story of Rebuilding Puerto Rico, One Meal at a Time. Anthony Bourdain/Ecco. ISBN 978-0062864482. – 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. ISBN 978-0062668387.
• 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. ISBN 9780063327900.

• Mediterranean cuisine
• Molecular gastronomy