Celebrity chef José Andrés’ support group has sent 200 tons of food to Gaza. Who is he and what is World Central Kitchen?

Celebrity chef Jose Andrés and his non-profit World Central Kitchen are sending aid to Gaza, sending about 200 tons of food to Palestinians this week. The organization transported the food from Cyprus on an open-arms ship belonging to a Spanish non-profit that supports vulnerable people in emergencies.

Who is Jose Andrés?

Mr. Andres, 54, is a Spanish-born chef who moved to the United States many years ago to work in restaurants in New York City and Washington, D.C. He helped open several restaurants in the Capitol and later established his own restaurants across the country, including Nouvelles. , Jaleo in New York City, Jose Andres’ Jaleo has locations in Washington, D.C., Orlando, Las Vegas, Chicago, and Dubai.

While working in Washington, D.C., Andres volunteered at the D.C. Central Kitchen, which repurposes food from around the city and provides it to those in need. This sparked my interest in philanthropy and in 2010 I founded World Central Kitchen. Its first mission was to deliver food to Haiti.

What is World Central Kitchen?

World Central Kitchen mobilizes first responders to feed people affected by natural disasters, crises and humanitarian emergencies around the world

“By deploying rapid action models, leveraging local resources, and adapting in real time, we know that a nutritious diet in times of crisis is more than just a meal on a plate. It’s hope, it’s dignity, and it’s someone who cares,” the group’s website says.

Recent nonprofit organizations Sent food to war-torn Ukraine, to Texas during the wildfires, and to Japan after the earthquake. In the midst of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, they delivered the food For children learning from home, first responders, and at-risk seniors.

The group also has a “chef army” of chefs who use their local connections to help deliver food during local crises.

In April 2022, Andres and his team were on the ground serving food at a restaurant in Kharkiv, Ukraine. This was the first time Andres and his team operated in a combat zone.

A Russian missile landed nearby, injuring four World Central Kitchen employees.

However, this attack did little to slow their operations. “What happened in the next few hours was unbelievable,” Andres said. “CBS Sunday Morning” Correspondent Tracy Smith. “When the owner of that restaurant asked all the team members, ‘What do you want to do?’ They said, ‘We want to keep cooking. We want to keep fighting.’

The organization has provided more than 350 million meals to people in need.

Transportation of aid supplies to Gaza

The United Nations has warned of an imminent risk of famine in Gaza, a narrow strip of land that borders Israel, Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea and is home to about 2.3 million Palestinians. With borders closed and the war escalating, an estimated 1.7 million Gaza residents were displaced as of January 20, according to the United Nations, many without access to food, water, medicine or adequate shelter.

Malnutrition and dehydration are becoming part of the humanitarian crisis.

President Biden announced this in his State of the Union address last week. US military helps build temporary port on Gaza coast It will help increase the amount of humanitarian aid that can enter the region.

World Central Kitchen has teamed up with the United Arab Emirates and Cyprus to open a corridor for open arms ships to deliver food to Gaza. The group is currently stationed in Cyprus and has collected 500 tonnes of food, including rice, flour, canned vegetables, protein and pulses.

A World Central Kitchen representative told CBS News they named the mission “Operation Safena,” which means boat or ship in Arabic.

World Central Kitchen’s first ship left Cyprus on Wednesday and arrived in Gaza on Friday, a representative said. The shipment includes food for approximately 500,000 meals.

They are preparing about 300 tons of humanitarian food aid for their second visit to Gaza.

Since October 7, when Hamas militants launched an uprising, terrorist attack in israel Citing this as a trigger for the war, the organization says it has sent more than 37 million meals and 1,500 trucks to Gaza and has opened more than 60 community kitchens in the region.

It also airlifted food from Jordanian Air Force cargo planes, delivering 150,000 meals to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and 5,000 meals to Lebanese families displaced by the conflict, according to social media posts. That’s what it means.

Early this month, The US has also begun airlifting aid to Gaza.. Egypt, France, the Netherlands and Belgium are also sending aid.