Chef Jose Andres Is In Puerto Rico Cooking Meals for Thousands of Hurricane Maria Victims
José Andrés, the Spanish-American chef who became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2013, flew to Puerto Rico on Monday to help deliver thousands of meals to residents in need of support after Hurricane Maria.
Many residents of the U.S. territory are still without clean water, food and electricity in the days following the storm. Since Andrés landed, he and his volunteers have been able to deliver some 8,000 meals a day to those in need. Footage posted to the chef’s Twitter account on Saturday shows sandwiches, paella and other meals being made by his crew from World Central Kitchen.
Quick update from #PuertoRico: Planning to feed 12,000 people today! Thank you everyone for your support of @WCKitchen!! #ChefsforPuertoRico pic.twitter.com/XhID4dneqR
— José Andrés (@chefjoseandres) September 30, 2017
While they have been wildly successful in aiding residents, Andrés admits they have hit some difficulties.
Quick update from #PuertoRico: We opened a second kitchen today & continue to increase delivery of meals. More to come! #ChefsForPuertoRico pic.twitter.com/qwc6giEE53
— José Andrés (@chefjoseandres) September 28, 2017
According to the Washington Post, Andrés joined with chef José Enrique, who turned his restaurant in San Juan into one of two headquarters for the operation. Since then, volunteers have used to hashtag #chefsforPuertoRico to organize and communicate as they send meals to neighborhoods and hospitals.
The chef’s call to action comes in stark contrast to President Donald Trump, who has been criticized for not doing enough to aid the island, home to 3.5 million Americans. The outspoken Andrés — who made headlines in February when he opened his chef’s coat to reveal a shirt that read “I am an immigrant” at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival — even tweeted some advice to the president concerning relief strategy for Puerto Rico.
If I was.@realDonaldTrump I would activate every Food truck in the country,create blocks of 10,centralize kitchen, 20k meals a day per block pic.twitter.com/ChShkup7Mq
— José Andrés (@chefjoseandres) October 1, 2017
If I was .@realDonaldTrump I will stop attacking the media, with their reporting keeps everyone inform actually helping fix satellites pic.twitter.com/QmdLHR39Z9
— José Andrés (@chefjoseandres) October 1, 2017
If I was .@realDonaldTrump I will praise in a tweet the thousands of volunteers organizing on their own to contribute to the efforts pic.twitter.com/tuluT8hLDC
— José Andrés (@chefjoseandres) October 1, 2017
Andrés told the Post that he would like to expand his efforts to the Puerto Rican island of Vieques, which, as PEOPLE reported, is completely devastated in Maria’s aftermath and is likely not to receive aid until Puerto Rico does. Even if Andrés isn’t able to reach everyone affected by the storm, his presence on social media is playing a major part in raising awareness about the needs of the island — and people are noticing.
“Super chef,” wrote Twitter user Michael Ferrara. “Now super hero!”