Meet José Andrés - My Favorite People

[music]. You land in the wrong place in a. football field in Jamaica. Here are. people coming to the helicopter. You. don't know their intentions. They don't. know your intentions. And you trust that. you can get them to sort of join your. mission even in the few moments that. you've been with them. Where did you. learn that? And then and and and what do. you think we should all be learning. about how to trust people that we don't. even know? It was 2010 Haiti and I'm. cooking there in a couple of of of of.

places, you know, hundreds of thousands. lost their homes. The poor of the poor. lost their homes and so it was all these. uh little villages that were being. created temporary housing. >> uh with. >> after the earthquake. >> after the earthquake and I were cooking. and I was that day was beans a lot of. beans they were in season I b I would. buy every day. This is the early days. I. was in a kitchen when was me and two. friends and I make these huge pots with. the help of local woman of beans and at.

the end with the help of the translator. they speak beautiful creole there and. they come to me and they say Jose they. love that you are feeding them here. every day but they want to tell you that. they don't eat the beans the way you. prep [laughter] them. And I'm like man they couldn't tell me. before. [laughter] And and then I say, "Okay, how do you want them?" And there. you have these two star Michelin chef. [laughter] Um and and they began singing. and we began smashing the beans until.

became a puree. It took it took two more. hours or three, >> but at the end you used to see the joy. when the beans were finished. They sang. amazing traditional Haitian songs. through the process. >> and they were doing the the the pacon go. and this black bean stew with the rice. the way they eat them which is not a. soup, it's not a cream, it's not a. sauce, it's something else but that's. the way they eat it. >> That is the way they eat the food. >> And and this to me obviously we are was. a big lesson because that's also the.

dignity we give. No, even uh that's a. matter how poor people may be everybody. has a way to eat. >> That's beautiful. [music]. This is What now with Trevor Noah. [music]. Let's do it. Vamos Anderlay. Where do I.

find you coming from? >> Um I was at uh Austin South by. Southwest. >> Oh yeah. What were you doing there? Um I went to well was the excuse to. promote this. uh quite frankly I don't know why when I. go sometimes but I was doing something. with Delta and Rivian so. >> with Delta and Rivian you know I was. thinking on my way here. you. have one of the most interesting lives. in that.

I don't know where you've like like like. were you ever a fan of Batman growing. up? >> Yeah. You never knew if you were meeting. Bruce Wayne or if you were meeting. Batman. Cuz Bruce Wayne was coming back. from like a a gala dinner. >> with the richest people in the world and. then Batman was coming back from, you. know, just having fought the Joker or. Penguin in one of the worst parts of. Gotham. I feel like that's that's your. life. When I think of Chef Jose Andres, I go, [snorts] "This man could either be. coming to my podcast from a disaster.

somewhere in the world, or he's going. there after this podcast, or he's coming. from like one of the most exciting, luxurious experiences, or he's going. there afterwards." Do you ever think. about how how extreme your life is in. that regard? >> Yeah, it Yeah, it feels that way at. times and and is not easy at times. Um, it's enjoyable, but uh I've been going. in through the the zone of like my wife. always says, when I come back from any.

any missions, um, >> yeah, >> it takes me weeks to put my brain back. to normal. Like I'm. >> Wow. >> like uh I get absent or I'm on the phone. all the time. >> Yeah. Yeah, I can imagine. >> I keep checking what's going on with the. people are left behind. and and but that's life itself, right? Uh that's why that's why um I enjoy. every single second a glass of wine of.

the best wine in the world. >> Yeah. >> Or a wine from a small winery that the. wine is under $5 and is delicious. because has a great people with great. pride. But uh and I love my my my. cooking. My way to to to feel holy is. just get in the kitchen, go to the. market, chop, making sure I have all the. ingredients I want, and I start cooking. all day. And the way for me to give love. to people um can be very fattening. because it's in the [laughter].

is in the word in the form of of food. But I have I I have a hard time. uh forgetting um at least one part of my. brain is always active on that sense. >> Yeah. >> Since the days I began like so many. other people around the world uh. volunteering in a soup kitchen in. Washington DC. >> Yeah. Yeah. Is is that how it all began? >> Very much. Uh 1993. This is Endra. Kitchen. A fascinating place. But then. then cooking is one thing, but then when.

you go on the shelters or on the streets. and you even uh engage [clears throat]. u in conversations and even people you. get to know and but then I go back to my. beautiful house in my apartment or in my. beautiful new home and I know it's going. to be people sleeping on the street that. day and sometimes you feel that moment. that life is like a lottery that some of. us we bought the winning ticket. >> Yeah. And other people other people. don't even know there is a lottery.

>> Yeah. >> And life sometimes can be complicated. like that. Uh because sometimes people. are put through moments in their life. that maybe maybe they made the wrong. decision and sometimes is not even. making the wrong decision. It's. >> not even a decision. >> You didn't even had an opportunity to. make a decision. >> I had a lot of chances to make decisions. and people that support me through those. decisions. >> And this was in the in the streets. But. right now, you know, I have a hard time. use uh forgetting about what's going on. in Ukraine, forgetting what is going on.

in Gaza, places I've seen. >> And and your brain sometimes is kind of. going through. You cannot suffer like. the way those people are suffering, >> but the part of your brain is almost. trying to. >> to maybe understand what they're going. through. And it's is difficult to forget. sometimes. and and and that's why every time it's a. moment to enjoy also also I like to. enjoy it because life is too short not. to enjoy every moment you have the.

opportunity to do so. uh even the people. in those areas uh you know in Gaza. recently we reach a million meals a day. with more than 80 kitchens and was like. a celebration everybody was celebrating. >> I know some people that were why are you. celebrating the people of Gaza are going. through like we I'm not celebrating they. are celebrating. >> people forget that even in those moments. of mayhem people need celebrations. >> because it's the only thing that carries.

them Yes. >> To live another day thinking that there. is light at the end of the tunnel, that. there is hope, >> that things may be terrible today, but. things can maybe one day go back to. where they were before. >> Yeah. I think the biggest misconception. people have about other people who are. struggling is that they don't have the. full access to their humanity. Do you. know what I mean? Like people don't. think that like a homeless person has. friends. People don't think that. somebody in a disaster zone has.

emotions. They they tell a joke. They. laugh with their friends. They they and. and you you literally see this on the. ground. I like some of the. conversations, you know, I've had with. you have taken me on on on the most. beautiful, wild, you know, and and then. sometimes sad rides because. I I love the fact that you brought up. the lottery tickets, right? Because we. we don't even get a chance to buy it. like where are you born? Who are you. born to? And then a bomb drops on where.

you live or a hurricane hits or an. earthquake and all of a sudden your. whole world is gone. You know, like like. literally your whole world has changed. overnight and now you are the person. that you never thought you would be and. you don't have the most basic thing. which is a meal. And that's where like. Joseé Andress comes in. I I I genuinely. am always fascinated by your world. because of that. Well, obviously in the. old days it used to be me because the. organization was only one person. But. now the organization I will say it's you.

know we are tens of thousands if not. hundreds of thousands. >> Damn. >> Uh I will say that Wendra Kitchen is uh. uh the biggest organization in the. history of mankind. Uh is is bigger than. any government, bigger than any any. bigger than the UN, bigger than any. corporation. Yeah. >> And when people ask me, "Well, I think. you're overdoing it." And I say, "No, I'm not." Because every every restaurant.

and every food truck uh belongs to All. Central Kitchen. Every every horse, boat, uh helicopter, plane belongs to. All Central Kitchen. Every gas station. belongs to Wendra Kitchen. Every canoe. uh belongs to World Central Kitchen. Uh. every person that you see is part of. Central Kitchen. >> Yeah. what happened? They don't know it. yet. But in the way we arrive, it's like. in an emergency is like almost you have. to take ownership of everything you see. and put everything you see at the.

service of bringing aid to people. And. when you think that way, >> everything is much simpler because you. come with the software, with the heart, with the brain, but it's all about. software. What can we do with what we. have? not waiting for things to come. But what. can we do with what we have on hand. >> and that way you start providing relief. >> uh day one in Gaza before even we had. huge quantities of of food. uh we.

realized that was fish farms that they. were not uh working anymore very well. and the fish was going to be dying in. few days. >> and we began buying from that fish farms. and we were giving grilled tilapia fish. to everybody we were trying to help uh. in Gaza. You see, we central kitchen. adapts. Uh the the world is always going. to be full of issues um of problems, but. we have to start changing our mind and. see every situation as a way for you to.

come with a new idea as a way for you to. serve to. >> to be creative enough to don't follow. the plan. Because very often life. even if everybody is trying to put us in. a in a jacket and this is the plan and. you have to follow the plan of life very. often. life doesn't follow that plan because. we've all been trained through that. plan. What we do we freeze in adversity. What we need to start doing is embracing. the complexities that lives puts in.

front of us in them like a test of life. and start getting ready and trained to. adapt to the circumstances where every. chance is an opportunity for you to show. the the hidden side of yourself you. didn't even knew existed. We all have. that power. >> We only need to believe in that power. >> So So help me understand how you do it. on on day one. like what's what's I I. know there are some places in the world. where you've you've been with World.

Central Kitchen and you've been feeding. people for a very long time because it's. an ongoing disaster or or a situation, but what's what's the most recent where. something happened acutely like a like. an earthquake or a hurricane or. something like that? And then ju just. walk me through like the cuz I realize I. don't I didn't I I don't know this about. your world. I understand that you're. there. I understand that you set up. kitchens. I understand that you help. feed the people. you get locals to cook. the food and I want to talk more about. the why around that but [sighs]. but what do you what do you do like from.

the very first moment that a disaster. strike? So what was the most recent one. that you had to that you had to jump. into? >> Well uh. uh Jamaica was was the latest one? >> Yes. Uh the hurricane hit the western. part of the island, the area that. probably everybody knows um away from. Kingston, the capital, which is uh. Montego Bay and Neil, >> Blue Fields, [snorts]. >> and and it's a part I kind of knew knew.

well because a couple of times I went to. on vacation invited by friends in the. southern part of Jamaica, uh Bluefields. Um, when that happens, um, it's kind of. I was I was thinking to escape that. hurricane because very much I've been in. every single hurricane category three or. or above, uh, in the last 15 years. And. it's like, okay, I'm going to take a. vacation on this one, which is great. news because means we have great teams. that know what to do. >> Yeah. >> But kind of uh, my daughter in was like,

I think I'm going to go. So this time I. didn't go on my own. I kind of was. following my daughter. That's amazing. which by the way she stayed there over. she stayed there over a month. Um so I. landed and I joined the teams. Uh by the. time I landed in Kingston we were. already fitting even without having. boots on the ground because this is the. wonderful thing of chefs and restaurants. that you are only a phone call away from. knowing somebody that knows every chef.

and every restaurant anywhere in the. planet. >> Yeah. But but this is what I don't. understand like help help me out. You. see, you said we were feed we were. already feeding people. But this this is. what I don't get. We're watching the news, most of us. >> We see this terrible news that a a. hurricane has struck Jamaica. We see. that it's ravaging the country. It's. destroying, you know, infrastructure and. then and then the number one thing that. starts to happen is people don't have. meals. People don't have food. Right. >> You said by the time you land there, your organization is already feeding the. people. But what I'm. >> at the smaller scale,

>> no, but I'm still trying to understand. No, they're already doing hundreds, few. thousands of meals 24 hours after. >> Okay, but explain that process to me. I. I really want to understand on like a. logistical level. where does it even begin? Like where. does the food come from? Who cooks the. food? How does the food get to the. people? >> In total destruction obviously is is is. never total destruction. something that. may be functioning. and we always now as more and more that. people know um central kitchen sometimes.

even it'll be a restaurant that all of. the sudden has the sign of central. kitchen. >> but they are not even part of us. >> and that becomes your. >> kind of they are but this happens in. very. beautiful ways it's like oh my god Jose. we we already there is somebody you know. Why I call the teams is somebody who who. is feeding there because I already got. that a tweet that we are feeding there. we don't know who the people is that.

that's the beauty of it that's a means. everybody has a call to action they. don't need to do it with us they can do. it on their own but it's so somehow what. central kitchen is is becoming this. >> this very unique thing like yeah like. the idea like the bman call it's an idea. that takes over very quickly but. obviously we are already near and We. start moving in. Um we start moving in. uh in the case of Jamaica uh the roads. were very complicated. The the traffic. pattern makes everything very.

complicated. >> Uh between the trees down and the. electric uh poles down uh Jamaica in. that part fairly complicated to move. around. No, very narrow roads and all of. the sudden everybody between the people. are trying to help, the people are. trying to leave, the people are trying. to check their loved ones is chaos. And. if you have to be doing anything uh from. from supporting hospitals to food to. water complicates the whole thing and.

especially as you began increasing the. number of meals, 1,000, 5,000, 20,000, 100,000. So we need helicopters. Why? Because with the helicopters in a very. montaneous kind of area of Jamaica, we. are able to land in the middle of. somewhere and from uh that helicopter. already with locals that we find or cars. of ours that they are sent 6 hours. before waiting for the helicopter. You. know, if we were waiting all day for the.

food to be ready, then it takes forever. to get to the people. We can go in the. middle of the night where is not so much. traffic. We are already waiting in. place. The cooks already have time to. start early in the morning preparing the. tens of thousands of meals. They fill up. the helicopters. We already know where. the helipads are. The cars are waiting. there. The helicopter lands. We fill up. the cars. We start going into the. communities for first time. It's what we. call first contact. But there we start. meeting the local leaders. Um the can be.

a pastor, can be somebody that becomes. the unlikely leader of his community. >> Yeah. Yeah. And all of the sudden with. this first contact we tell them and. tomorrow we'll come back. We already get. an idea of what are the needs and. sometimes the helicopter takes a medical. evacuation because we go back empty. Why. not to use it to move people to. >> so that you don't have an empty leg. going one way. Okay. >> And this beans happening hundreds of. times a day before you know we.

understand the real need. We are able to. increase the number of meals. Yeah. accordingly and we will use every every. possibility and and resource in in. Kingston. We were buying from every. bakery that was making the Jamaican. patties. >> Oh yeah, the little patties. >> The patties who are like the best became. the best way to start delivering food. quick and fast. Yeah. Then we began. moving. We saw which one are the. restaurants closer to ground zero. the. your chicken place, the other place that.

they specialize in this special rice. Okay. Uh how many can you do? 5,000. Okay. When we see that they do 5,000, well, hey, can you increase to 10,000? And we do the same with many other. restaurants. We will open our own. kitchens because we like to have also. wall central kitchen. Yeah. Uh um uh. give us a lot of power to be able to. deliver food 24/7. Right. Right. Right. but between the local partners, the. local restaurants. That is great because. we began channeling money through the. local economy, buying locally, not.

trying to bring food from overseas, but. even if the food comes from from. overseas because Jamaica imports food, but also they have a lot of farms, we. make sure that also the guys that do all. all the knowhow of importing, distribution, we began ordering from. them because we are telling them, I know. the country seems stopping, but actually. we don't need you to stop. We need you. to keep doing what you do with this. helping us put in place all the systems. of distribution so things will look like.

normal quicker and faster. So in a way. what we are not only people that cook. but people that we began the. redistribution the logistics of making. sure that things go back to normal. faster and quicker. This is the way that. through one plate of food, we kind of. ignite this kind of willingness of. everybody to say, "Oh man, we're going. to put this country up and running. quicker than anybody." And then. everybody joins in our very simple. mission, which is food to everybody as.

quick as we can. In the present, something magic happens. We began. helping the fishermen. We buy them. boats. We buy them nets. We buy them. whatever they lost. Right? >> The fisherman before you now, they are. fishing quicker and faster that if we. didn't help them, >> all of a sudden we are buying fish from. them. All of the sudden we are putting. that very poor fishing village already. up and running in the middle of the. emergency. This is very much what World. Central Kitchen uh does. You [snorts]. know, when you're speaking, I I was. thinking to myself, there's a.

conversation I had with um Rutkar. Bregman. I don't know if you're familiar. with him. He's a he's a Dutch writer, really really fascinating thinker and. and one of the things he he was the guy. who went to Davos and he said in the. room he said to all the billionaires. there why are we talking about solving. the world's problems as if not paying. taxes is not one of the problems you. know and he talked to the room about. that and and the conversation we had and. it's an organization that he started now. is he said one of the biggest issues we. have in the world is you have some of. the greatest thinkers who are being.

sucked into industries that are really. meaningless. You know, he said, "You've. got great thinkers and they come out of. the best schools, but all they do is go. into a world where it's like it's about. making money but not making an impact.". And while you were speaking now, I've. never noticed this about you, and I've. known you for a long time, my friend. I. really have. I was like, "This man is a. general. It's just Thank God you didn't. go into like war, >> but you [clears throat] went you went. into like the war of feeding people. instead of like bombing." Does that make.

sense? Everything you said to me sounds. like a general working trying to fight a. war. But it's like a good war. You go, I. need these people on the ground. I need. to set up that kitchen there. I need the. helicopters coming in and taking the. people who are injured out. I need. helicopters bringing in supplies. I need. to figure out a way to fix the roads. Let's get the locals involved. Let's. move. >> It's amazing. Like, where did you where. did you get that from? >> And I'm um I I I did service in the. military. >> Well, there you go. Maybe this is it. >> I served I was in the Spanish Navy. I. for me this was very important in my.

life. >> Yeah. >> I was cooking for the admiral and I told. him I love to cook for you. It's an. honor in his house. But my dream was. going on in a boat and not on any boat. I want to go in the Juan Sebastian. delano named after the first person that. finished the circumnavigation of the. earth after Miguelan passed away was his. second in command. So the boat is a form. tall ship.

um that had 300 crew members and trains. the midshipman of the Spanish Navy. >> He put me on the boat uh after my. request. First time I left Europe, first. time I visit Abid Jan Ivory Coast and I. had Kenu in the streets of Abijan. First. time I visit Rio Janeiro and I remember. visiting the Fabellas and the. fascinating wall that opened and my. first Kapirinia and visiting Dominican. Republic. >> That first Caparinia is something. >> Oh my god. >> Let me tell you something.

>> Oh my god. That first Caparinia. >> changes your life forever. >> Let me tell you something. I don't think. there's a person on this planet who. doesn't remember their first caparinia. The the sugar, the lime, the way it. hits. There's something in a caparin. So. fresh. >> There's something in that drink. >> Yeah, you got it. Kachasa. There's. something in a. >> capaca to rule the world. I'm telling. you. [laughter]. So, Dominican Republic, first time I. came America, Pensacola, one of the five. flags. They celebrate the five flags. Uh, one of them, the Spanish American.

flag. It's like, okay, I belong here. Uh, New York, um, Ellis Island, Lady. Liberty, that really, um, marked me. But. what it really had a big effect on me. was this. >> way of against currents and winds. 300 people. uh working together, you could go. through storms, you could get anywhere. you wanted if you kind of follow this. common goal of working as one. Wow. >> So that my my time in the military.

service in in the Spanish Navy was. really. >> uh in this way was life-changing in more. ways than one. And obviously my mom was. a nurse, my father was a nurse that I. always saw. We saw it during the. pandemic. But I I grew up in watching. all these people that to me were like. >> right. >> superheroes even doing little things. like reading a a little book to a child. because his family their family didn't. arrive to the hospital and he was alone. and and and they will go. >> extra duty. >> on things that is not written. this is.

your job, but they will do it. And I. think I grew up in that environment. You. know, Clara Barton, the the founder of. the missing soldiers, uh that she found what happened to over. 2,000 uh soldiers during the Civil War. and then created American Red Cross. Her. house, her apartment just was found uh. 30 mters across my restaurant in. downtown DC. And and I got fascinated by. this woman that she was a nurse during. the civil war, but then she created. these two organizations with her same.

knowledge, but she had such an impact. only putting her skills uh in more. creative ways. >> Yeah. >> Uh to help others there tells you, man, we can all do that, you know. Um. >> uh and then you tell me where where I. got it. I just got it watching learning. I went Haiti uh because I watch uh. Katrina. What happened not in old. Katrina? Not in all New Orleans, know. what happened to the poor people at the. low nine and we saw the images. But.

forget all New Orleans, only the Super. Dome. We left over a week, 20,000. Americans almost forgotten with no foot. and water. Wow. >> And an arena, my friend, is not a place. where we go to see a great comedian. perform or where we go to see our. basketball team uh win a ring or where. we go to see Taylor Swift. No, an arena, a stadium is a gigantic restaurant that. entertains with comedians, musicians, and sports. It takes a second to fit. everybody. That's why Wendra, we use in.

many occasions in our find central. places, >> a lot of big stadiums. In earthquakes, obviously, you need baseball because. nobody wants to sleep in any place you. have a roof. So, we will use in. earthquakes uh baseball stadiums because. it's no-brainer. It's the best. It's. been designed for a lot of people to. come in, a lot of people to go out. There's there's a lot of spaces. >> to provide a lot of services that is. beyond food and water and and we've done. that. And then life you keep learning. You keep um going through the punches.

and every situation is a moment that you. leave a remission with more experience. than before. Obviously for me um you. know in in Jamaica on the second day. because we began moving is a lot of. moving pieces and we had a big chinuk. this huge helicopter. >> Yeah. um almost you have six, seven people. running the helicopter and we had like 3. 4 thousand meals and they were picking. me up somewhere around the south uh of. of Jamaica. They picked me up uh up in.

the middle of the mountain uh near. Bluefields and then from there they were. supposed to be taking me to uh to to. another town um actually uh was Montego. Bay, but for some reason they sent the. wrong coordinates and we were landing in. this looked like a football stadium, a. football field in the open surrounded by. palm trees. >> Already was getting dark. We had to drop. the food because we had to go back to. base and all of the sudden I don't see. any of the cars of Wilson Rakiten. They. were supposed to be a meeting point. So.

people will help me download the four. 5,000 meals and then this with them. >> and we land there is nobody there and. people began coming around this. helicopter and the situation got a. little bit tense. his first first. arrival to the grill. and I don't know man I I I began like. hey guys why I need you I need you all. to organize we're going to do the food. but please don't don't come close to the. helicopter this is screaming in to the. air and and the only way I got everybody.

kind of work as one is we we began. singing one love. >> no ways. >> one and and everybody kind of calm down. >> let's get together we go like 30 40 of. this strong man. They help us download. the the helicopter. >> I didn't had the place we even we. already made contact for a hotel, but. the helicopter didn't want to leave me. there, but I couldn't leave all the food. there without organizing the delivery of. the food without creating chaos. The.

helicopter left, I stay there and the. people even in tense situation, some of. them hungry and and anyway, when is. coming can be dramatic at times, but. people were amazing. Some police. arrived, everybody was calm, we keep. singing a couple more of times, we. deliver all the meals without almost any. chaos. You see, uh, in these situations, you kind of try to learn from previous. moments. I was in Haiti. I saw one time.

somebody with very good will. >> that dropping a began giving food. without thinking that people will start. running and sometimes you have children. and then things happen. Yeah. Yeah. Now. there's a stampede. >> and you don't know those things until. you are not in the middle of them. Happened in Bahamas where people were. trying to leave Abacu and even with the. military there sometimes the situation. is tense when people been three four. five days without knowing. >> food and what is happening and they want. to leave and and and in those moments.

you you realize that um if you come with. food every day, if you come with water. every day, people know they can trust. you. Everybody becomes calm. everybody. becomes part of part of the solution. because when you are desperate if I was. desperate to feed my children. >> I will do whatever it takes to feed my. children. >> because you don't know if there'll be. another opportunity to get that food. >> but when that's why it's so important to. be fast to be quick to be there next to. the people because then they know you. are with them and then everything.

becomes so much easier. Everybody's. helping each other. Everybody is looking. after each other. Uh nobody's pushing. anybody anymore. >> Uh this is the dignity we need to be. giving to the people and that's why for. me it's always so important that we. arrive quick that we arrive first and. that from the first second we show that. is somebody there looking after them and. that we will not leave until things go. back to normal days, weeks or months.

from now. And this is what W Central. Kitchen tries to do. And that's why for. us it's so important to be first. Not. because we want to claim we're first. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> No. Because if we are if we are early, we understand better than anybody what. happens. >> And then every decision we make is a. good decision on behalf of the people. >> Don't go anywhere cuz we got more what. now after [music] this. >> [music]. >> I can't help but think people also feel.

like they matter when somebody shows up. early. You know, you look at it in. society. One of the. worst things that can happen to any. community is being overpoliced and. underpoliced. Having police that clamp. down on people's civil liberties, but. then also not having police show up when. they actually need them to show up. And. and the the the underpediced one is is. one that a lot of people don't. understand because they go like oh I.

mean I is it annoying is it's like no it. shows people that they don't matter. And. it's interesting hearing you say this. when you show up as soon as something. has happened even though you still have. to scale up the meals. You still have to. go to 100 meals then a meals then. 100,000 meals then a million meals. Just. you being there as soon as the disaster. has happened has showed the people that. they matter. But but but then I guess. the question that comes to my mind is. why do you need to exist? Like I know. this is maybe a naive question but why.

are governments not able to do this. right? Because you you you as Jose. Andress have created this organization. You have many many many many hundreds of. thousands of people helping you on. different levels. So some are. permanently in your organization. Others. join the organization, you know, on the. ground and then some are auxiliary, like. you said, the fishermen in Jamaica who. now are part of it because you buy them. nets, you buy them boats, they sell you. fish, but they're part of the operation. But like.

from your experience, why can't. governments do this? uh the younger Jose I I will be much. quicker to criticize but uh I began. realizing the wonderful people that are. in those positions. >> Yeah. >> Um in FEMA in the United States that you. know and they do much more than even. people are aware. I I will do certain. changes that will make FEMA more. efficient. And believe me, God knows. I've been trying. I I've been trying.

with few administrations now and I've. not been lucky enough. But I can tell. you the people care. Uh USAD, which I. think is one of the worst decisions. America has done as a country because. genuinely America is a country that. cares and used to wipe out USAD. that is. one of the best ways for uh the United. States of America show the power of soft. soft power and being next to the people. >> I think it's not been a very smart.

decision and I don't think President. Trump is being uh well advised. >> um about that sense but the issue is. that. >> we all have the government we we deserve. >> but we all have to work towards to have. the best government we can. uh was. central kitchen exists in a way because. government agencies it's true that. sometimes become too big sometimes. become too big that then move very slow. in [snorts] emergencies you have to move.

quick and fast you cannot have all these. manuals that by the time you finish the. manual it's like okay exactly what what. I'm able to do. >> uh from who orders the water who pays. for the water who orders the food who. you know in foot and water For example, I saw many examples. We we deliver huge. amounts of water to Puerto Rico. >> Yeah. >> Um I even remember doing a a tweet. thanking President Trump for activating. that water. But then we realized it was.

almost $10 million of water in a tarmac. in an airport. >> No. >> Month later that nobody that nobody had. actually delivered. >> that nobody delivered. So things get. lost in translation sometimes. Um I've. seen how we do MRA meals ready to eat. which meals ready to eat are a wonderful. um human invention which are these meals. that 100 years later the meals will be. okay and you can eat them and nothing. will happen to you. But they were.

created for soldiers in the battlefield. going in away from any anywhere where. they couldn't cook and they will have. these packs and we'll be enough food for. one two three four five days. [snorts]. We have this feeling like we bring the. the the emories and we drop them and we. claim we we have a million meals, >> but sometimes we drop them in the fire. stations. Well, the the the fire the the. firemen the firemen are people to take. care of rescues of stopping fires of of.

helping people in floodings. They're not. the people to distribute the. >> be distributing the good period. And. they shouldn't. Why? Because when it's a. fire, you send firefighters. When it's. an earthquake, you say you send search. and rescue teams with dogs. >> When it's food, you should be sending. the people that know better the. logistics of food from top to bottom. And those are people in the restaurant. industry, period. So that's why we. kitchen. So I come here no not so much. to to show the weaknesses of the system. in countries around the world. Yeah. But.

we come to support. [snorts] those systems because I know. that inside the governments is not. people thinking about that because it's. not people thinking like that. I. [snorts] remember in in in in Bahamas we. did almost 4 and a half million miles. 16th islands north of Nassau. We were. landing in 16 islands every day. Six. helicopters, two hydroplanes. We even. because there was no airports north, we. had the boat with two helipads because. we had to refuel. Um we brought water.

filtration systems, but we were there. before the hurricane and nobody invited. us. We went because we know the people. of Bamas were going to need us. >> Yeah. Right. >> And I remember going to with the team we. were there already. We were like 10. And. we go to what is the logistics the. hurricane emergency uh of of Bahamas and. happens the president was there not like. he has to know what was or who was but. he was coming towards us and then he.

stopped hey how are you how are you and. I used tell him I'm this is the team of. kitchen and I promise you we're going to. feed you people don't worry about food. and water he was nice he shake hands. thank you thank Thank you. He left. You. know, I think he left thinking, who are. those naughty [laughter] guys? Uh with a. colorful logo. What was very beautiful. that we reached the 80,000 meals a day. fairly quickly. We did multiple medical. evacuations. Again, we were landing in.

16 islands every single day. Uh the only. way was doing it through helicopter. because the islands were covering water. um a month later [snorts] um five weeks. later he happens came to visit the. United Nations and was a gathering of. all the people of Bamas and happens is. the first time I leave Bamas and I'm. here and they invite us to go. >> and [snorts] we are there in the back of. Rome I wanted to see what the president. how he will talk to his people you.

become. >> uh you want to become part of the story. to what the people are going through how. they see what's happening and out of the. blue. Uh he arrives, he's about to say. something, but then he begins walking. away from the mic and comes to where the. world team and myself we were. He came, he puts his hands on my two shoulders. and he said, you know, you said that you. were going to help feed my people and I. I want to thank Wilson because you guys.

did it. >> And I told him, well, we didn't do it, Mr. President. the people of Bama's help. us feed the people of Bama. So, thank. you to you and and to all your people. And that's what we do. You see, we go to. cover the blind spots of government. >> Yeah. Yeah, I understand that. >> because sometimes things are. overwhelming happened in Aapulko. Um they were not even letting us go into. Akapulko but happens that we were. already in because we had helicopters.

and we were landing in the golf course. and was the military was doing a okay. job but the military don't have. experience in feeding before you knew we. were doing you know hundreds and. hundreds of thousands of meals a day in. a a town a city that got wiped out and. especially on the water. That's what we. do. We come to support the local. governments. We come to support the. countries. And hopefully in the process. one day, I think we're gaining enough uh.

awareness that we are okay and good at. what we do, right? >> That we will help rewrite what should be. the emergency systems. Doesn't matter what it is. Hurricanes or. fires on best practices on how. >> to be next to the people as quick as. fast as we can. That's what we did in. Ukraine. That's what we did in Lebanon, in Gaza. That's what we did in Israel. >> How How do you How do you think you you. you you built the trust? It seems. effortless, but I I I I'm sure it's.

lessons that you've learned. You know, when I think of governments trying to. help, you know, and I mean trying to. they're supposed to do it, but but. they'll often get bogged down. You know, when I think of that $10 million worth. of water that was supposed to go to. Puerto Rico and then never leave the. tarmac, I can't help but think about. people who then go, "But where where's. the water going? And how do we know it's. going to the right place?" And you know. what? if people are stealing this water. and what if and you see this everywhere. in the world sometimes the argument. against helping people is that the help.

won't necessarily get there or there'll. be wastage or somebody will steal or but. but you seem to have this this this. trust. >> and a and a different type of attitude. around like the people even in the story. you're talking about with like the. Jamaicans on the ground you land in the. wrong place in a football field in. Jamaica here are people coming to the. helicopter you don't know their. intentions they don't know your int. intentions and you trust that you can. get them to sort of join your mission. even in the few moments that you've been.

with them. Where did you learn that? And. then and and and what do you think we. should all be learning about how to. trust people that we don't even know? >> It was 2010 Haiti and I'm cooking there. in a couple of of of of places, you. know, hundreds of thousands lost their. homes. the poor of the poor lost their. homes. And so was all these uh little. villages that were being created. temporary housing. >> uh with. >> after the earthquake. >> after the earthquake and I were cooking. and I was that day was beans a lot of.

beans they were in season I b I would. buy every day this is the early days I. was in the kitchen when was me and two. friends and I make these huge pots with. the help of local woman of beans. [snorts] and at the end with the help of. the translator they speak beautiful. creole there and they come to me and. They say, "Jose, they they love that you. are feeding them here every day, but. they want to tell you that they don't. eat the beans the way you prep. [laughter]. them.". And I'm like, "Man, they couldn't tell.

me before." And and then I say, "Okay, how do you want them?" And there you. have these two star Michelin chef. [laughter] Um, and and they began. singing and we began smashing the beans. until became a puree. It took it took. two more hours or three, >> but at the end you used to see the joy. when the beans were finished. They sang. amazing traditional Haitian songs. through the process. >> And they were doing the the the pacon go. and this black bean stew with the rice. The way they eat them, >> which is not a soup, it's not a cream.

It's not a sauce. It's something else. But that's the way they eat it. >> That is the way they eat the food. [clears throat]. >> And and this to me obviously we are was. a big lesson because that's also the. dignity we give. you know, even uh. doesn't matter how poor people may be. Everybody has a way to eat. You you see. it when I go out in the streets in the. poorest is people that like it more. spicy, people less spicy. Is people that. I don't know peel this sh right to left. or left to right. And it's certain.

things that is is fascinating. That's a. matter who you are with money or no. money. um you can be as poor as poor you. may be but that you are poor doesn't. mean you don't have the same dignity. that anybody else should have. >> I used to think that you know when I. would watch um you know growing up in. South Africa I would see all these. videos of aid coming to Africa and it. would always be you know the military. dropping giant like crates those pallets. of random. >> is the parachute mentality.

>> Yeah. Yeah. He dropped the pellets and. then the people and and I I I genuinely. remember saying this, but I I would like. say this to my friends when we'd be. watching the news or whatever. I'd go, "Who who chose that food?" And I didn't. mean it in like a in a disparaging way. I was just like, "Who chose that food?". Because it seemed like they were. dropping the same food in every single. African country. And I know the people. needed it. >> And this is the next phase. No, what. Sandra Chan does is not fighting hunger. We are really pure emergency. >> Okay. Yeah. You're going for. emergencies. >> No, not like hunger is no emergency. But. when something gets totally upside down.

>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That immediately. >> that's where we come. That's where we. are effective. Uh World Food Program. does uh can always get better. But. there's a uh is organization that does. this job for long-term hunger also. They. do emergencies. But but but but they're. good in the long-term hunger and that's. what UN created uh obviously for world. food program. But take a look now the. issues we face today. uh the military. spending average 2025 now 2026 is going. to be $2.5 trillion.

>> right. >> to take care of. total hunger um will be roughly uh 80. billion a year 80 billion a year. >> no Jose. >> to take care of the of the few hundred. millions that they they are going to. many of them. >> say those numbers again so it's 2.5. trillion trillion is going to be and we. we only need 80 billion to take care and. 80 billion of the two uh.5 trillion. roughly is under 2% of the military.

spending. That means that if every. country in the world will only put no of. their total budget, 2%. in a bank, 2% of their military budgets. and we have the right system and. organization, we can have the money to. take care of the poor people. But then. how we do that? I saw it in Haiti. perfectly. I was very very happy of the. response of American to Haiti in 2010. But uh doing good is not enough. [sighs].

Doing good is what my friend Robert. Edgar the founder of this is central. kitchen told me over 30 years ago that. charity seems about the redemption of. the giver. >> when charity must be about the. liberation of the receiver. And here is. where it gets complicated and politics. require policy needs to be good so it. becomes good politics. [snorts] If we. gave so much rice and food for free to. Haiti.

and really we gave a lot. So I'm proud. as an American Europe France gave a lot. but we gave so much that nobody was. buying from the local farmers in Haiti. >> We put them out of business. >> Wow. That's why few years later some of the. Haitians thousands of them that we saw. under a bridge on Texas which by the way. Wilson was there also helping feeding. them. These were some of those farmers that. left Haiti because they went.

>> they went through hunger times later. when they ate the stop and all of the. sudden they began arriving to different. parts in America and going to place to. place and where they're going to go to. the richest possible place where they. why they leave their home because they. want only feed their children. Anybody. listens to that, you see that then we. create problems. Instead of giving so. much rice for free, >> we were supposed to do better investment. in can we buy the rice from the Haitians. >> and can we give them maybe.

>> new equipment so they can even produce. more and can we help them with better. water management? Can we help them with. better quality fertilizers? All of the. sudden you have entire population of. Haitians in the rural areas that with. very little investment we're making them. get richer and better helping Haiti as a. country. >> Yeah. >> Versus creating mayhem and cow. So in. the way we do international food aid. dramatically has to change. I do believe.

that everybody listening to us if we. will say. my god with two three% of the military. spending we can end total hunger in the. world that then if we do it well can. also help create riches in those. countries versus keep throwing money at. the problem versus investing in. long-term solutions. This is where the. international organizations, UN. governments dramatically.

will have to change the way we take care. of of of of the people including wars. Uh [snorts and clears throat] because. obviously the money is going into wars. instead of investing in education, in. food, in health. And right now I'm very. worried that at the end of 2026 2027 we. may have a very big hunger uh increase. 50% 40 to 50% of all the fertilizers. that the world uses to produce food they.

go through the straight of our moose. >> Yeah. >> Uh that's that tiny little strip of. water by the coast of Iran. So we're. talking about gas and when we think gas. is what moves our cars and our planes. and our industry. >> but also is what moves creates the. energy that moves the humans which is. the food we eat. >> right. >> I'm very worried that because that lack. of fertilizers. >> uh and not enough investment in. >> fertilizers produce more locally in.

every part of the world right. >> now also we're going to be very. dependent from what's going on and this. war is going to be creating. two things probably a shortage in. quantity of food uh but also it's going. to be an increase in the cost of food. because also to transport the food is. becoming more expensive and at the end. >> who is going to suffer you and I even if. the rice increases and our sushi. increases and our beautiful kinoa from. Peru and our green tea from Japan. increases okay we're going to be able to.

to pay it. >> but the vast majority ity of the people. starting by America in many parts of the. world that increase of food that maybe. three four five 6% for the people with a. lot of money equals absolutely nothing. doesn't change much in the ear but for. people that live on on dollar in two $3. a day uh at the most like in Haley and. other parts of the world that increase. uh in the cost of food is exponential.

increases what they spend on on food. therefore I'm very worried that this war. in the Middle East uh many people say. unnecessary. uh with no very clear idea if Iran. really developed that nuclear bomb they. say they created um it's going to make. the world hungrier and it's going to. make a lot of people poorer that's why. wars. wars don't make any sense in any way or. form that's another how you want to. explain it. >> you know it's interesting when you when.

you talk about. in particular let's say the story of of. um the Haitians who were, you know, traveling over to to the US. I'll often have this conversation with. people who are anti-immigration. And I I don't I don't even have this. conversation flippantly. I I don't I. don't have it in a in a in a mean way. I. I genuinely try and engage people, but I. I'll say to them, "You're. anti-immigration." They go, "Yes, I I. think there's too many people flocking.

across." And I go, "I agree with you. I. think there are too many people who are. trying to come into the United States. There are too many people who are trying. to go into South Africa. Too many people. who are trying to go. But now let's ask. ourselves the question, why are there so. many people trying to do that? Contrary to popular belief, most people. want to live in their homes. Most people. don't want to go to another country. Most people don't want to give up. everything that has defined them, their. language, their music, their food, their.

culture. They don't want to let it go, but they're forced to let it go. And. then I often say to them, I'm like, "So, why not invest in keeping everybody. where they are?" You know, we had um Mia. Mley on on on the show, on the podcast, and she she really laid it out in in one. of the most beautiful ways possible. Here you have like the prime minister of. Barbados, a tiny nation, but her voice. has been outsized where she says, >> "She's amazing. >> She's phenomenal." And she goes, >> "You think that the small nations do not. matter in the world?" And yet all the.

big nations are complaining about the. people from the small nations not. understanding that they are part of the. cause that the small nations have an. exodus in the first place you know and. and I see you talking about when you. talk about. >> she has one of the best food policies of. any country. >> Yeah she does. >> It's fascinating. >> Yeah. >> Um what what what about it do you think. is fascinating like why you interested. from your point. >> because everything is interior way. Number one, uh, you know, I always said. that presidents of the world, um, need a. food sec a national food security.

advisor. >> Oh, I like that. National food security. advisor. >> and understand that food is much more. than agriculture. [snorts] Uh, in the. United States right now, big percentage. u close to half of the corn is produced. is produced but not for food, for humans. or cattle. uh which will be great. because the corn will feed the cattle. and then we eat the meat but but it's to. produce ethanol. So all of the sudden. the USDA the secretary of agriculture in.

a way is also secretary of energy. [laughter]. But this has a lot of consequences as. price of energy goes up ethanol is. ethanol goes up the price of corn is. going to go up. The price of meat is. going to is going to go up. But then. it's deeper than that, right? Um in. America we have what they call the food. stamps is what it's called snaps more. technical. >> which is a shortterm help that the. government gives to families that fall.

behind lose their jobs. So they need. extra money to cover the needs in the. table. Mhm. >> Um this is this is okay but very often. uh I saw it during the pandemic in. places like Oakland or Baltimore or uh. in the Navajo Nation that is not money. they receive from the government where. they live which is a very poor area. >> Yeah. >> In that poor area they don't have a. place they can spend that money. They. have to go to. >> no way. >> other neighborhood. So.

the department of human and housing. development should also have to be. working alongside the department of. agriculture because we need to make sure. that every poor neighborhood in America. in the richest country in the world has. markets that if the private sector. doesn't do it because they feel they. lose money. >> Yes. >> Okay. Create a partnership with the. government supports the private business. which everybody will agree private. business is in the in the process of. making money. Yeah,

>> but if they get the right partnership. with the government, now we make almost. >> mandatory by government standards to. have markets in every poor neighborhood. and all of the people that receive aid. from the government. They have places in. their own neighborhoods that they can. buy fresh fruits and vegetables. But. then you hire from people that live in. that poor neighborhood too, creating. employment and you and then why you. don't let the food stamps be used in the. local food trucks and the local diners. happens that those poor areas don't have.

restaurants either. So if a mother is. working two jobs and it still doesn't. make it because she's underpaid [snorts]. >> and even with the help of the government. to cover the needs of food, if all of. the sudden she's coming from work and. she can use stamps, the food stamps to. buy from the local food truck because. she's too tired to go now and do dinner. >> All of the sudden you're helping the. mother to take care of the children. The. mother you help her be stronger. You. need her full house because a mother we. know has multiple jobs. When you are a.

working mother, you have more jobs than. any man ever. And all of a sudden, that. money stays also in the poor. neighborhood. Helps a woman to take care. of her family and take care of herself. And you are also. giving dignity to that neighborhood that. all of a sudden has the store that sells. fresh fruits and vegetables and has the. food truck and maybe a little diner that. employs more people. All of the sudden. that poor neighborhood with the same. money that the government is throwing at. the problem the government is investing. into the solution. Yeah. You see every. single situation can be explained that.

way. >> but it requires very clear mentality. very clear understanding of how food. touches everything from the department. of defense to immigration. >> and all of the sudden you make decisions. that improves the system. you don't make. decisions that make the system worse. If. people eat better, >> they're going to be healthier. If. they're healthier, you're going to be. saving money from. your health that we are paying every. year to keep Americans and the world uh.

healthier. Well, let's invest in the. solution from the beginning. Let's not. throw money at the problem at the end. So governments starting by United States. but every other government in the world. they need to start seeing food as. something much more important in the. functions of a democracy and we are not. taking it seriously enough. That's why. in emergencies food seems is always an. afterthought and that's why then. organizations like World Central Kitchen. and others we are the ones trying to.

solve that lack of thought in the food. process. You know, when when you say. this, there's a few things that come to. my mind. One is. it's so much easier to sell fear than it. is to sell love. >> Yeah. [snorts]. >> But one can sustain itself. One can keep. growing in a beautiful way and then the. other one degrades what it's what it's. touching. If you tell people we're going. to spend more money on bombs, we're. going to spend more money on missiles to.

protect our country, they go, I'm in. I. I get it. I'm in. No one thinks about. how much an actual missile costs. They. also don't think about how many missiles. just miss. They just hit nothing. You. know what I mean? They just blow up dirt. and nothing. But that money. >> they hit the school with children in it. >> Yes. Yeah. Which you know, you've seen. on on some of the the most harrowing. levels. But then I go, why not invest in. the defense of your people from the. inside? governments are so willing to spend so.

much money to protect their people from. this outside force. But then I go, why. not defend them from an inside force, which is starvation, which is poverty, which you know what I mean? And the. second thing I I I found myself thinking. of when you when you were saying that is. it feels like when you when you when you. talk about investing in the community. and the mom and the dad and this and. that. it feels like you have a belief. that those people can create something.

and I don't necessarily think that all. governments or all people believe that. every other community can create. something. Does that make sense? Like I. think I think a lot of people who will. talk about let's say immigrants they do. not think that in America they don't. think that like Mexicans can do. something. So they [clears throat] need. America in that way. They don't think. that Haitians can do something. They. don't think but you seem to have this. belief that if I can plant the right. seeds in the right places the people who. are there will become the nurturers of.

the garden that it grows. Well, obviously we see that the unemployment. rate in America is is fairly low is what. we call 4% to whatever close to to total. employment. Sometimes it's not very good. because then they say the rates per hour. goes up and then all these economics. that sometimes we all get lost but the. truth is that it's hard for a lot of. industries to find workers. um the unemployed the the undocumented.

as some people call illegal me I like to. use the the term undocumented that can. be anywhere between who knows 15 to 20. million people including 1 million. dreamers dreamers being John children. that arrived when they were very much uh. babies and that they've been granted. this temporary meaning they are always. on the edge of being sent And many many. years later they are doctors, they are. nurses, they are professors, they are.

business people, they are mothers and. fathers with already Americanborn. children that they are on the edge of. being thrown out of the country. You. know the effort that the country puts. into bringing up and educating a million. people. America. We are not right now in. the in the situation of you being read. of such a good talented people that they. are. >> probably anybody walking across America, you're going to find dreamers one place. or another even if you are unaware.

>> Uh the 15 million undocumented. >> Who do you think is working on the. farms? We saw it during the pandemic. Who do you think is delivering your. food? Who do you think is driving the. the trucks uh to get the food to the. supermarkets? Who do you think very. often is taking care of the elderly in. many homes? Hundreds of thousands of. elderly taken care of by maybe those. undocumented immigrants. They're all. across us. >> So of sure we have to protect the.

borders. Every country should. It's not. true that anybody is against it. I am. pro let's every country make sure that. we understand who comes and who goes. That's good. What cannot be is the big. lie that when you have the big harvest. or you need a lot of people to take care. of the cattle, all of the sudden seems. that those immigrants are coming through. the border with no problem. >> and people hire them because the. business need them and seems everybody. is looking to the other side. But then.

when you don't want them, it's like, "Oh, now I don't want them. They're. they're not mine. They're no mine. They. only have me temporarily." Listen, uh, Republicans and Democrats, um, going back to President Bush and. Reagan, they wanted immigration reform. I [snorts] think during, uh, the times. of President Obama, he had a big. opportunity to pass immigration reform. It's always a reason why we didn't pass. immigration reform. But this is not a. problem for us to solve. It's an.

opportunity for us to cease. Our golf. courses will not work without them. Our. uh wineries and farms will not work. without them. Our restaurants and taxis. will not work without them. They are the. part of the DNA of what America is. >> Yeah. >> They're lady liberty themselves. >> It's about time that we stop now making. them like. the ones that create all the problems we.

face. Because when leaders don't have. really solutions to solve certain. problems, they're going to be looking. for the pundits. >> Yeah. >> And the immigrants are not those. 99.99%. of the immigrants we may have in this. country there are people that want to. work hard that want to provide for the. families that are helping the American. economy that people believe it or not. that they pay taxes because many of them. have W2s and 99s and this is something. like functions very well in America it.

functions so well that even undocumented. are paying their taxes [laughter]. we should be celebrating that but now we. all want to demonize them we want to ham. them like it was the planet of the apes. We want to be in front of the schools. and waiting for the mother picking up. their three Americanborn children. >> What we are doing is use dehumanizing. the human race. >> And this dramatically has to change. This is not about Republicans,

Democrats. The border needs to be. protected. Yes. But also we need to. improve the systems. So when you hire. somebody you know if they are documented. or not because in that moment we will. know how many people really we we need. >> and those undocumented let me tell you. they are needed because right now you. ask around is many businesses across. America that they all have one thing in. common. >> that they need hands so they can keep. moving their business forward. Our.

politicians need to be responding to. that simple call. We need to legalize. once and for all document those people. that they are part of us that they are. part of what America is and where we. need to stop doing what we're doing. which is quite frankly not something. America uh 5 10 years from now will be. very proud when we look uh at the past. I also don't think it's smart. You know, like on the one hand, it's definitely. inhumane, but I think even if you were. to strip away all emotion, I don't think. it's smart. And I I'll tell you why. I.

think, [snorts] you know, often times people. will talk about borders as if they only. exist like a moat around a castle. You. know, the moat is what keeps the people. out of the castle. And and then I I look. at Europe and I I look at the European. Union. I've always found it fascinating. that once you're in Europe, you're in. Europe and then you just move between. countries now. You just move between. countries. And they found a way to sort. of understand that the mean average. means that like everyone won't just end.

up in one country. Cuz cuz if you think. about it, the argument most people make. about a border is we have to have. borders. Then I go fine. Okay, you have. to have borders. But I think you can. also redefine how a border operates. And. Europe has showed me that. for how people argue about a border. You would think that once the European. Union said there's no borders. technically like between us, everyone. would end up in one country. We're all. going to Barcelona. Barelona and you. know what I mean? It's like we're all. there. Vamos. But no, some English.

people moved to Spain. Some Spanish. people moved to Italy. Some Italians. move. People moved. But you know what. happened? It sort of all stayed the. same. And one of the most convincing. things I've read about like how people. think about the border is in the United. States, it used to be a lot more. acceptable for laborers to move from. Mexico to the US, do work, and then come. back and there was a more poorest system. on the border. And it's actually the. crackdown of the border. >> what creates the bigger problems.

>> It created the bigger problem. >> because we need revolving door visas. the people come, they cover the needs of. the cotton farmers, the okra farmers, the tomato farmers, or anything else. they may do. [snorts]. >> And then when it's time to to go back. home, they go back home. >> They bring some of the savings that they. made in America. They bring the knowhow. that they learn in America. These people. who usually. >> are very resolute and very creative. >> They may open a business that may have. something to do of what they learn here.

in America or in any other country. And. all of a sudden they're investing in. their maybe poorer community that in the. process is making their community. better. And this guy will go back next. year to work again or maybe he moves. from the farm to the city because he. wants to do that and keeps learn and he. keeps going back. >> and makes that country and his his town. and his country. >> better. This is the beautiful thing. about um immigration. When you use it to.

solve problems, >> right, >> you cover the needs of America in this. case, but in [snorts] the process, you. are making the countries around you. better and richer. >> If the countries around you are richer. in the process, you are richer too. So. should be the notion that every country. of course should be investing in their. own citizens but if you invest in ways. also in the other countries in the. process you're helping yourself but you.

have to have a firm belief on that and. that proves the world has getting much. better post post World War II. Of course. we have issues. >> when we open commerce when the nations. began uh uh you know sharing warehouse. uh ways to uh uh uh trade to to okay not. everybody can produce wheat, not. everybody can produce corn, not. everybody can produce okay that's that's. what trade achieve and the world you we. could argue is better today it was 70 80.

years ago but we need to keep believing. in it going to be problems it's going to. be issues it's going to be certain. moments that hey this is not too far for. me okay you sit in the table you talk. you negotiate and you keep moving. forward you don't began bullying. everybody else because you saying is. your right to bull to be a bull. No, you. do it talking. You do it negotiating. You do it what is good for me must be. good for you too. >> cannot be me me and only me. Well, when.

we go that way, the wall becomes. not so safe anymore, >> right? We need to the only way I'm going. to provide the wall where my daughters. will be okay once I'm no longer here if. he if is if he I work as hard to provide. for others in the same way I work hard. to provide for my own. >> This should be the mot of everybody. If I provide for my daughters is great. But if I provide for others at the same.

time, I [snorts] know I'm living a world. where my daughters will be better and. safer and happier. [music]. I have no doubt about that. Don't press anything. We've got more. What now? After this. [music]. How do you maintain your hope? because. it. I' I've been lucky to know you for many. many years. And every time I see you,

it's it's like a it's like an emotional. whirlwind for me, you know, because. because I one day you you you're giving. me like fresh hamon that I don't know. where you got it from. The most. delicious like cured ham I've ever had. in my life. And you're just like, "Dram, are you going?" And I'm like, "No, I'm. not eating that." You're like, "Today. you're going to eat it." And you've just. like put it in my face. And then the. next day you're telling me about the. biggest challenge that you face in a. small town in a small country that is. devastated and the the logistical things. that are that are stopping you. How do. you how do you maintain your hope?

Because it you move from disaster to. disaster because I believe it's more. goodness than than hate in the world. What happened goodness and goodwill? Yeah. >> And the common good [snorts]. >> is very humble and he's very doesn't. have a big voice. He's very keeps doing. keeps working. beautiful acts of kindness happens. without nobody very often realizing. >> But but when you see the wall, the wall. functions is things we need to do.

better. >> But we need more of those people that do. goodness and work towards improving. what's not good, right? But then it's. other people that don't work to fix what. is wrong, but they only thrive use. bitching about what's wrong. >> Right. >> And began blaming anybody. away from what is wrong. >> Yeah. >> And the world is almost divided in these. two types of people. And seems that. people of goodness with a soft voice.

with with acts of of greatness and and. goodness that nobody sees. Maybe. [snorts]. those people need to have a bigger. voice. >> Those people need to to be louder. because [snorts] seems. the hate is what has a big voice and. screams and with very short sentences is. able is able to rally everybody or you. are with me or you are against me. >> No, I went through this in the Middle.

East. The first day after uh Israel was. attacked by Hamas on October 7th. Well, Central Kitchen was there in all the. kibbuts in all the little villages. feeding the people. >> Yeah. >> And I had people, why are you there and. helping Israel? Because it's the right. thing to do. And because the people of. Israel in this moment needs our help the. day after we were inside Gaza. And I had. people telling me, "And why are you in. Gaza?" Well, because the people of Gaza. needs our help, too.

Not all Palestinians and all Arabs and. Muslims were responsible for what. happened on October 7th. As I don't make. every Israeli or every Jewish or what. has happened in Gaza that they cannot. understand how President Netanyahu allow. to happen what has happened in Gaza. >> I wish that was a bad dream but that has. happened and we destroy the the future. of almost 2 million people. But then. they ask me, "But are you pro-Israel or.

are you pro Palestinian?" I I am pro. both. I am pro both of the good people. because in the same days I will be. crying with one person and telling me. how much they suffer and how much they. suffer also seeing the suffering of the. others. And if I don't tell you who they. are, I'll tell you it's people on both. sides. So it's more people of goodness. that sometimes they don't speak up. enough. And it's the people of hate that. they are the ones that have the mic and. seems the only people that matter and. count. I want people that don't make me.

take sides. I want people that believe. like me that this is wrong but this is. wrong too. >> And what we need to be working is what. is right. What is right is where people. don't fight each other where people. respect each other. You want to live in. a place with dignity and freedom. Okay. But the other people want to live in a. place with dignity and freedom too. So I. support your right to live in freedom. and dignity and not fear attacks by. anybody. Okay, I agree with you. But you.

have to agree with me that these people. too deserve dignity, respect and don't. live on fear of drones and bombs falling. over their heads. What is good for you. my friend must be good for me. Cannot be. me and [ __ ] the rest. Has to be with the. people. That's why those three words is. something we cannot forget. One of the. biggest gifts that probably the creation. of America gave to the world are those. three powerful words. We the people. All. the people. All the people. Not the we.

that we like. We all the people. >> If we believe in that and we fight for. that, the world is going to be in a good. path. But in the in the process, we're. going to have hiccups or things worse. than hiccups. But we should not give up. on this simple belief. We the people. that even when the people that brought. that maybe they thought we the people us. this has taken this kind of fascinating. moment in history which. >> a lot of people believe in what we the.

people meant. I still believe it today. and I'm going to fight to make sure that. we the people in the future has a true. meaning. You know, when you when you speak about. this as passionately as you do, I I. can't help but think to myself and. wonder. how does Jose Andres the man find his. solace and his stillness? Like, you. know, cuz I've I've had the pleasure of. meeting your one daughter. I've had the. pleasure of meeting your wife. And the. one thing I will say,

>> one of my three daughters. >> Oh, one of your three daughters. Yeah. And and one of the things I remember I. picked up was um and you'll correct me. if I'm wrong, [snorts]. your your wife. felt next to you. like the most solid. peaceful, you know, celestial object a human can. imagine. >> Patricia. Yeah, she is. >> It it it it literally and I remember. thinking to myself, I was like, is this. the only reason he can do what he does?

Yeah, she she's definitely my my son, my. my rock, my I'm like this comet that. sometimes doesn't know in what what. direction is moving. Um, but obviously. she's. she she's been that and and so much. more, right? It's almost 33 years now. We we married over 30 years ago, but. we've been together 33. And obviously, she's an amazing friend and amazing. mother, uh, an amazing wife, um, friend. of friends. Um, we all need those.

people, right? Uh, we need to remember. >> that we are only as good as the people. we have around us. >> We we we all need uh good people that. makes us better, that also tell us, hey, this is not the way. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> Um, my wife is that person. But then. I've been very lucky that I'm surrounded. by friends that they always uh invested. in me probably more that I've ever. invested in them. uh and uh and and for. that I'm always thankful. Uh but we are.

all the product of all the people even. those teachers we don't remember their. names. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> That they had an influence on us. [snorts]. >> and thanks to them. >> uh we became who we became. That's why. we need to be thankful to those that. >> whatever is the interaction we have. >> Yeah. >> Everybody is giving us something. uh and we become who we become thanks to. those moments. And [snorts] and how do. you think you've managed to find the. balance. of being a great contributor to the.

world but then still still maintaining. your family and you being a father and a. husband? Cuz cuz you know that's. something you'll often see when you read. people's biographies or when you hear. from their families. They'll go, "My. father was a great man to the world but. wasn't the greatest man to me." And then. like I see your daughter and she the way. she laughs about you and the way she. talks and she teases you and then she. follows you. I remember when your your. daughter was telling me she was going. what country was she going to her first.

place was I remember going this is. crazy. >> Yeah. She was in Chad in the border with. Sudan and then she went to Yemen. >> Yeah. And I remember being like like. what life is the passion that she had in. and around this and and the way your. wife dealt with I'd love to know like. >> how as a family you found this balance. and how you as a human being have found. the balance like how how how are you. still able to give to those around you. and not only give to the outside world. >> it's not obviously friends family. friends are are everything obviously I I. I have a day work which is my.

restaurants which. >> yeah I mean we didn't we you see if I. could I I will let you they they can run. probably without me, but they're better. if I am around because everybody. obviously my teams uh and my partners. want want me around and and I have joy. running my restaurants and. >> I'm I'm being the chef I am but then. sometimes you feel gets in the middle of. the other passion I have which is. >> well central kitchen but then gets in. the middle of the other passion I have. which is making policy around food that.

will improve the world and then also. >> you I'm I tried to play golf, but I know. I will never become a pro. [laughter]. >> And is your golf better than your pickle. ball? >> No, pickle ball is good, man. >> Pickle ball is okay. I mean, anything. that has a kitchen and pickles, I mean. [laughter]. I mean if I don't perform. obviously forget about it. >> but you know um uh obviously I try to. enjoy as I told you at the beginning uh. every single moment and it's important.

but then you go moments of of for me uh. last two years they've been the last. four years they've been very hard I mean. >> in in in Ukraine I saw you know kitchens. that they they were feeding with Bendra. kitchen or not and we being hit by by. drones and and and people got injured or. wars and and they perish and and there. you began seeing the realities of of. trying to be in the real world, >> right? >> In Gaza, we got seven members of World.

Central Kitchen in what technically was. one of the u supposed to be a very safe. mission even we were working in a very. complicated space. Obviously I take the. on my shoulders the the moral. responsibility in a way of what happened. because maybe we were not there. >> Um nothing would would ever happen. But. then I think it was my daughter. obviously who told me in a moment I was. uh very sad about living. I need to.

leave Ukraine or I we need to leave here. or it's like daddy how we going to be. changing the world without taking some. risks. At the end of the day, you can be. watching what people are going through. through your TV and the comfort of view. sofa. >> Or you can say, well, we want to change. the world and improve the world. We're. not going to do it from the sofa or from. New York UN building. >> We're going to do it with uh people of. the world shows up and is next to the. people going through the mayhem of the. world. >> and with boots on the ground is the only.

way you're going to be changing the. world. So for me very often and one of. the reasons I keep going to missions um. that I don't think if I don't go ever. again after I've been 15 years right. >> um a big percentage of my life dedicated. to it I don't think anybody will blame. anymore. >> but I don't do it what others will think. or I I do it in a very selfish way for. myself because every time I go to those. missions only by being present there and. watching around me uh I see that in the.

worst moments of humanity the best of. humanity always shows up. >> Oh, that's. >> and that gives you hope. Uh in moments. that everything is mayhem and that you. will think everybody is giving up. because everybody should run only take. care of themselves. >> Yeah. >> You see that you have people there that. they don't only take care of themselves. and their loved ones but that they take. their personal responsibility on the. shoulders of taking care of entire. communities even when they have. absolutely nothing. You see those people. that they are becoming something so.

powerful, so superhumanike that you only. feel like you want to be there watching. those people because I get a lot of. energy uh from those moments. >> There's two things I know I'm going to. have to let you go soon. Um two things. that I wanted to talk to you. One is. just a question, but can I just say you. brought me this? Can I No, can I tell. you something? >> [sighs]. >> I've thought about this for maybe like I. want to say 15 years of my life.

Like this is a not this specific comic, but this is Spider-Man like multiple. Spider-Man comics. And it's you same. one. >> Yeah. But it's you helping. Yeah. Different covers, but it's you helping. him. >> in a mission. And it's it's but it's. you. And it's a thought that I've had. for such a long time. I've gone. >> why don't we make heroes of the people. who are doing the most heroic things. [sighs and gasps] like I know we have to. go but just just help me understand how. how did this come to be.

>> I don't well because the wonderful. people of Marvel uh love food uh they. love kitchen I guess they they they've. been following us for a long time it. happened also with DC comics so in one. year um in one year I've been cooking. with Superman and Aquaman and and Wonder. Woman and Flash uh feeding lion fish uh. and fishing with Aquaman on in a. seahorse catching lion fish to feed the. people of the Caribbean. And now uh.

Marvel um has put me in uh next to. Spider-Man when my restaurant in Hudson. Yards Marcado Little Spain is under. attack by Electro and all of the sudden. Spider-Man shows up and and I'm there. alongside a Spider-Man fighting fighting. Electro and then at the end. >> Were you were you a comic book fan as a. kid? >> Oh I have a big comic collection. This. must. >> Oh, this is and I I came by just use. from South by Southwest in Austin and.

and they use announced that Marvel uh is. putting me in a number in the fall uh uh. with the Avengers. So when when I still. to the moment I think they're doing a. prank on me [laughter] and that they're. going to do a very big ad saying this is. the fool that thought he could be in a. in a comic with the Spider-Man. You. know, life sometimes is about these. little moments and these little dreams, >> but as you said, this is not this is an. homage to to all the people that every.

single day when nobody's watching, they. wake up with a very simple idea of. helping others. >> So, even Yeah, I'm I'm there with the. Spider-Man. I think what Marvel wanted. to do is just to to to to give a big. round of applause to the millions around. the world that they don't give up and. that they are always there next to the. people. Last question. I know you got to. go. Um, I just wanted to know this about. food. Food is is is such an interesting thing. because it's what sustains us. It's one.

of the first things a child will. compliment their parent on. If you say. like, "Why does mommy or daddy love. you?" They'll be like, "Cuz they feed me. and they give me food." You know, >> but you you have interacted with food on. a spectrum that I think few of us have. Your restaurants serve some of the most. decadent, beautiful, delicious food that. people will ever experience. And then. you are cooking local food which is. often delicious as well in places where. someone would would assume there is no.

joy. when you think of food. What what does. food mean to you? Yeah. I mean you you. mentioned about our mommy and daddy. feeding us but yeah the first gift we. receive in the form of a tangible is. when we come to the world and our mom. brings us to our body or or our grandma. or our father give us baby bottle but. the first gift is in the form of food. >> mother's milk and I think our faith and. our relationship with food is still on.

that magical beautiful moment even if we. were uh unaware. I mean uh I I have I. collect cookbooks too and and many of. them are centuries old and one of them. is from 1826 and he's a Frenchman and I. don't quote French people in public. often but [cough]. but they're good cooks after all we have. to recognize. But this guy Briad Sabaran. [snorts] uh in the first edition he. didn't sign the book because he was too. afraid of what his friends in Paris will.

think about him. But this one guy that. gave us uh an amazing amazing quotes and. one of them was um tell me what you eat. and I will tell you who you are. >> Oh wow. >> Nothing nothing gets more powerful than. that very simple thought that at the end. the way we we we love to live life. doesn't matter only if you eat hog hog. dogs like Peter Parker in the streets of. New York. >> That's great. I love hot dogs. >> Uh and you should be proud of it. Food.

is something like really tells a story. of who we are in powerful ways. And the. same philosopher said even a more. powerful phrase that both together very. much are like the commandments of food. He said that the future of the nations. will depend in how they feed themselves. So from culture to science to who we. will feed people in the moon to food as. art uh food as a social gathering food.

as thanksgiving food as history food as. health food as immigration. food very much uh touches everything and. and you realize that sometimes. everything just starts in a humble plate. of food that you may have in a far away. place sitting next to a stranger. That's. some of the most fascinating moments you. can experience in life. >> You know, you just made me realize this. This is one of my favorite. conversations. You've always been one of. my favorite people. The only mistake I. made was not having food for our. conversation.

>> I apologize. >> I just landed. I just landed. I came. empty. But I have my I apologize. >> My new book is Spain. My way. >> I'm I'm actually Are you going to leave. that for me? >> This is for you. But I don't think. that's the No, this is not even the. original yet because we are waiting. It's arriving by boat. >> Okay. I I want it. Spain my way. >> I want it. I want it. One day I should. go to Spain with I just want to go. somewhere right now. >> Every year you two coming with me to. Spain. >> Just somewhere you'll invite me. You'll. come back again. Uh Jose Andress. gracias. >> Amigo, thank you. It's a pleasure to be.

in your presence. >> Thank you so much, man. Safe journey. >> Thank you. >> Thank you so much for watching the. episode. If you enjoyed it, pass it on. to a [music] friend. If you didn't enjoy. it, pass it on to your friend still. let. them suffer for a change. And don't. forget to engage with us in the. comments. Uh if you want to suggest a. guest, maybe there's questions you want, maybe there's ideas that you have, you. [music] can chat to us. We will read. through the comments and we'll get into. it. Either way, I appreciate you taking. the time. Thank you for hanging out with.

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