Immigrant of the Day: José Andrés (Spain) Awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom

Good immigration news!  Our Immigrant of the Day (and naturalized U.S. citizen), José Andrés, founder of World Central Kitchen (WCK), has been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States’ highest civilian honor, in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to humanitarian work and the culinary community. The honor was presented during a White House ceremony on January 4, 2025, where President Joe Biden praised José’s unwavering commitment to nourishing communities affected by disasters.  

Here is Andrés bio from the WCK website:

“Chef José Andrés, born and trained in Spain, moved to the US at age 21. He soon settled in Washington, DC, and began volunteering at DC Central Kitchen, where he started to think big about philanthropy. Over the course of his career as a chef and restaurateur, he saw the role of cooks – and the power of food – to change the world. This path inspired José to found World Central Kitchen in 2010 after a devastating earthquake in Haiti, with the support of his wife Patricia, as well as his business partner Rob Wilder and his wife Robin. Since then, he’s pursued a mission to fulfill the words of John Steinbeck: `Wherever there’s a fight so that hungry people may eat … we’ll be there.’”

In awarding Andrés with the Medal of Freedom, President Biden said that “You answered the call to serve and led others to do the same thing” . . . “You leave an incredible mark on our country, of insight and influence that can be felt around the globe—in major cities and remote areas alike—binding us closer as people and showing us what’s possible as a nation.”

According to the WCK press release “In 2010, Andrés traveled to Haiti after a devastating earthquake, determined to help. While cooking with displaced families, he learned to prepare black beans the Haitian way—mashed and sieved into a creamy sauce. For José, it wasn’t just about providing food but about listening, learning, and cooking alongside locals. This approach to food aid became the foundation of WCK. Since then, we have served more than 450 million meals to people impacted by crises worldwide.”

WCK teams are currently on the ground in Gaza, Lebanon, Ukraine, Spain, Mayotte, and North Carolina supporting families affected by conflict and natural disaster. Good food provides not only nourishment, but also comfort and hope, especially in times of crisis.

KJ