José Andrés says feeding people is America's strength and future

José Andrés cast feeding people as a measure of American power, arguing that the nation’s strength depends on what it does at home and abroad. “Food is both tradition and also our future,” he said, adding that “the strength of America depends on how we feed ourselves but also how we feed the world.” For Andrés, food policy is not a side issue. It is a test of resilience, citizenship and influence.

That argument is rooted in his own path to the United States. Andrés became an American citizen in 2014 and was recognized that same year by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services as an Outstanding American by Choice, an honor for naturalized citizens whose civic participation, professional achievement and responsible citizenship stand out. In remarks preserved by the Obama White House archives, Andrés said, “Two years ago, I had the honor and privilege of taking the oath of citizenship to become an American citizen.” He has often described citizenship as belonging through service and community, not only paperwork, a view that fits the public role he has built over more than a decade.

The most visible expression of that philosophy is World Central Kitchen, which Andrés founded in 2010 after traveling to Haiti following the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that devastated Port-au-Prince. What began as an effort to see how chefs could support people after disaster became a major relief organization with operations in conflict zones and in the wake of hurricanes, floods and border crises. World Central Kitchen says it has served more than 260 million meals in Ukraine, more than 40 million meals in Gaza and more than 3.6 million meals in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. It has also responded in Haiti, Türkiye and Syria, Florida and at the U.S.-Mexico border, turning kitchens and delivery lines into tools of emergency response.

Andrés’s commercial footprint underscores how closely he links enterprise to mission. His José Andrés Group says it operates 40 restaurants in the United States and beyond, including minibar by José Andrés, which holds two Michelin stars. That span, from fine dining to mass relief, reflects his larger claim that feeding people is not charity at the margins. It is part of the country’s infrastructure and part of its diplomacy, shaping how America is seen and how it sees itself.