World Central Kitchen

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World Central Kitchen
AbbreviationWCK
Formation2010 (2010)
FoundersJosé Andrés
TypeNot-for-profit non-governmental organization
PurposeFood security
HeadquartersWashington, D.C., United States
Area served
Worldwide
Websitewck.org

World Central Kitchen (WCK) is a not-for-profit non-governmental organization devoted to providing meals in the wake of natural disasters. Founded in 2010 by Spanish American chef and restaurateur José Andrés, the organization prepared food in Haiti following its devastating earthquake. Its method of operations is to be a first responder and then to collaborate and galvanize solutions with local chefs to solve the problem of hunger, immediately following a disaster.[1][2]

Disaster relief

Chef José Andrés with White House liaison staff

Since its founding, the NGO has organized meals in the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Zambia, Peru, Cuba, Uganda, The Bahamas, Cambodia, Ukraine, and the United States.[3][4][5]

2010 Haiti earthquake response

In the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Andres visited the island and saw a need for distributing prepared food from central locations. WCK began preparing food locally in Haiti following the earthquake, and worked with local chefs to set up kitchens to continue making and distributing food.[6] They returned to Haiti in the ensuing years, helping set up a culinary school in 2015.[7]

2017 Hurricane responses

In August 2017, WCK coordinated efforts with the American Red Cross and working in Houston, Texas following Hurricane Harvey.[8]

In September 2017 it led some of the disaster relief efforts in Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricane Maria, organizing a grass-roots movement of chefs and volunteers to establish communications, food supplies, and other resources and started serving meals. The group's efforts to provide assistance encountered obstacles from FEMA and government bureaucrats, but as Andrés said, "we just started cooking."[9][10] WCK served more than two million meals in the first month after the hurricane.[11][12][13] It received two short term FEMA contracts and served more meals than the Salvation Army or the Red Cross, but its application for longer-term support was denied.[14][11] WCK developed resiliency centers on the island, and installed a hydropanel array at a greenhouse in San Juan to provide safe drinking water.[15]

For his efforts in Puerto Rico, Andrés was named the 2018 Humanitarian of the Year by the James Beard Foundation.[16] He wrote a book about the experience called We Fed an Island: The True Story of Rebuilding Puerto Rico, One Meal at a Time.[17]

2017–2019 events

World Central Kitchen deployed in Port Charlotte, Florida, after Hurricane Ian

WCK operated in Southern California in Ventura County during the December 2017 Thomas Fire to assist firefighters and first responders and provided food to families affected by the fires.[18]

A kitchen to serve the Hawaiian communities affected by a volcanic eruption in June 2018 was set up.[1] In September 2018, WCK worked in South Carolina in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence.[19] In November 2018, WCK and Andrés teamed up with chefs Guy Fieri, and Tyler Florence, and local Sierra Nevada Brewing Company to bring Thanksgiving dinner to 15,000 Camp Fire survivors in Butte County, California.[20][21]

In January 2019, WCK and Andrés opened a restaurant on Pennsylvania Ave, Washington, DC, to feed federal workers that were furloughed during the government shutdown.[22] In September 2019, WCK and Andrés opened kitchens in The Bahamas to feed people in the wake of Hurricane Dorian.[23] In October they helped in Sonoma County, California, working with local chefs such as Guy Fieri, during the Kincade Fire.[24]

2020–2022

In early March 2020, the Grand Princess cruise ship was under quarantine near San Francisco due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[25] WCK in collaboration with Bon Appetit Management Company (a division of Compass Group), fed thousands of stranded passengers for approximately a week while logistics were being figured out.[25] Over 50,000 meals were served during this crisis.[25]

In mid-March 2020, Andrés transformed eight of his New York City and Washington, D.C., restaurants into soup kitchens to support customers affected by the COVID-19 crisis.[26]

In late March 2020 in the San Francisco Bay Area, WCK collaborated with Frontline Foods in order to provide an open-sourced effort to deliver meals from local restaurants to local hospital staff, many of which have been negatively affected by the COVID-19 closures.[27] It later assumed responsibility and management of the Frontline Foods operation.[28][29]

During April 2020, Andrés partnered with the Washington Nationals and World Central Kitchen to use the team's stadium in Washington, DC, as a kitchen and distribution facility for free meals.[30]

2022–present

In late February 2022, Andrés and World Central Kitchen responded to multiple locations, including in border areas and in conflict zones such as hard-hit Kharkiv, Ukraine, to distribute meals during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[31] By March 2, 2022, WCK had opened 8 kitchens on the Poland–Ukraine border.[32]

In February 2023, World Central Kitchen set up mobile kitchens throughout Turkey and Syria following the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake.[33]

In August 2023, World Central Kitchen set up kitchens in Maui in relief of those in Lahaina and West Maui who lost family members, businesses and homes.[34] They provided 6000-6300 meals per day with the help of volunteers.[citation needed]

Gaza (2023-present)

In response to the 2023 Gaza humanitarian crisis, World Central Kitchen has been contributing to food deliveries to the Gaza Strip. As of March 2024, it has provided more than 32 million meals.[35]

World Central Kitchen has supplied food to airdrop operations by foreign states,[36] as well as to the NGO Proactiva Open Arms performing maritime deliveries.

On 2 April, WCK announced a pause to operations after an Israeli airstrike killed seven employees (see § Casualties).[37][38]

Contribution to maritime corridor ("Operation Safeena")

In February 2024, Proactiva Open Arms announced that their Open Arms tugboat would conduct delivery to the Gaza Strip towing a barge of food and water provided by World Central Kitchen. The ship had been reportedly stationed in Cyprus since 16 February. [39][40]

The president of Cyprus had proposed a maritime humanitarian corridor at a conference in Paris in early November,[41] and held conversations the following month with the Egyptian president and Jordanian king. According to Cypriot authorities, there were also "technical discussions" with Israeli officials.[42] In an interview with Tel Aviv Radio, the Israeli foreign minister said in December that "It can start immediately".[43]

On 11 March, the ship was in Cyprus awaiting departure, after Cypriot authorities claimed that permission had been granted. The goods had reportedly been checked by Cypriot officials with Israeli oversight.[44][45] It contained "nearly 200 tons of food".[46]

The shipment arrived on 15 March at a beach south of Gaza City.[47] According to WCK, this was the first boat to reach Gaza in nearly 2 decades.[48]

Recognition

Casualties

On 2 June 2023, a WCK volunteer in Kharkiv was killed as the result of a Russian missile strike on his apartment.[52]

2024 Deir al-Balah airstrike

See also: World Central Kitchen airstrike

On 1 April 2024, seven WCK employees, including four people with foreign citizenship and their Palestinian driver, were killed in Deir al-Balah by an Israeli airstrike.[37][53] After the incident WCK announced that they were pausing operations in Gaza immediately.[37] The casualties included:

  • Saif Abu Talha, a Palestinian local from Rafah[citation needed]
  • Damian Soból, a Polish national from Przemysl[54]
  • Lalzawmi "Zomi" Frankcom, an Australian national[55]
  • A British and an Irish national, as yet unidentified[citation needed]
  • A dual Canadian-American citizen.[56]

Reactions

 Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese commented that it was "completely unacceptable", and that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) had requested an explanation from the Israeli ambassador.[55] DFAT stated that it was seeking from the Israeli government "a thorough and expeditious review".[57]

 Polish foreign minister Radosław Sikorski expressed condolences for the Polish citizen's death, and said that he personally asked for "urgent explanations" from the Israeli ambassador.[58]

 Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari said that the IDF expressed "the deepest condolences" to the families. He promised an investigation.[59]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Wilson, Christie (25 June 2018). "World Central Kitchen helps to ensure quality meals are made available for evacuees". Honolulu star advertiser. Honolulu.
  2. ^ Cunniffe, Eileen (17 September 2018). "Chefs as First Responders? Yes, Thanks to World Central Kitchen". nonprofit quarterly. Boston, MA.
  3. ^ "José Andrés's World Central Kitchen, Explained". Eater. 10 November 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
  4. ^ "Chefs Make Change: José Andrés for World Central Kitchen | Food & Wine". foodandwine.com. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
  5. ^ Severson, Kim (30 October 2017). "José Andrés Fed Puerto Rico, and May Change How Aid Is Given". The New York Times. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
  6. ^ Swiers, Autumn (15 September 2023). "How José Andrés Started World Central Kitchen After The 2010 Haiti Earthquake". Tasting Table. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  7. ^ "José Andrés: The man who created an army of culinary first responders". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  8. ^ Carman, Tim (30 August 2017). "José Andrés is in Houston, ready to cook: 'If I can feed one person, I'm happy.'". Washington Post. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  9. ^ Andrés, Jose (11 September 2018). We fed an island : the true story of rebuilding Puerto Rico, one meal at a time. Anthony Bourdain/Ecco. p. 124. ISBN 978-0062864482.
  10. ^ "The Story of World Central Kitchen, the Nonprofit Serving Millions of Meals to Puerto Rico". Eater.com. 10 November 2017.
  11. ^ a b Gajanan, Mahita (16 October 2017). "'The American Government Has Failed.' Celebrity Chef José Andrés Slams FEMA's Puerto Rico Response". TIME Magazine.
  12. ^ Carman, Tim (18 October 2017). "After Maria, José Andrés and his team have prepared more hot meals in Puerto Rico than the Red Cross". Washington Post. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
  13. ^ "He fed 2 million Puerto Ricans. Now this celebrity chef is being called a hero". Miami Herald.
  14. ^ "José Andrés Fed Puerto Rico, and May Change How Aid Is Given". New York Times. 30 October 2017.
  15. ^ "Source Customer Story - World Central Kitchen" (PDF). Zero Mass Water. 2020. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
  16. ^ Carman, Tim (21 February 2018). "Beard Foundation names José Andrés Humanitarian of the Year following a turbulent year for chefs". The Washington Post.
  17. ^ Carman, Tim (6 September 2018). "José Andrés's riveting 'We Fed an Island' calls for a revolution in disaster relief". The Washington Post.
  18. ^ "Thomas Fire: Volunteer program providing healthy meals to displaced families". Ventura County Star. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  19. ^ Simon, Erica (16 September 2018). "Celebrity chef cooking up meals to help Florence relief efforts". ABC13 Houston. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  20. ^ "World Central Kitchen serves up 55K meals". Malibu Surfside News. 22 November 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  21. ^ "Calif. fire evacuees do their best on a sad Thanksgiving". Colorado Springs Gazette. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  22. ^ "Chef José Andrés will serve free meals daily to furloughed federal workers in Washington". CNN. 15 January 2019.
  23. ^ Carman, Tim. "José Andrés and World Central Kitchen follow blueprint from Puerto Rico to feed Dorian victims". Washington Post.
  24. ^ Mandela Linder (30 October 2019). "Guy Fieri Feeds Kincade Fire Evacuees, First Responders". NBC Bay Area. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
  25. ^ a b c "How Bon Appetit, World Central Kitchen fed quarantined Grand Princess passengers". Food Management. 31 March 2020. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  26. ^ Steussy, Lauren (16 March 2020). "Chef José Andrés turns his restaurants into community kitchen". New York Post. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  27. ^ "Bay Area effort to help restaurants feed hospital workers partners with Jose Andres' World Central Kitchen". TechCrunch. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  28. ^ Barbieri, Frank (9 July 2020). "Frontline Foods joins World Central Kitchen". Medium. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  29. ^ Vergara, Jenny (6 May 2020). "Frontline Foods, Partner of Chef José Andrés' World Central Kitchen, Opens Kansas City Chapter". Feast Magazine. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  30. ^ Plumb, Tierney (7 April 2020). "José Andrés Helps the Nats Turn D.C.'s Baseball Stadium Into a Community Kitchen". Eater DC. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  31. ^ Abrahamson, Rachel Paula (28 February 2022). "Chef José Andrés is on the ground feeding refugees at Ukraine-Poland border". www.today.com. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  32. ^ Kate Krader (2 March 2022). "World Central Kitchen Cooks Up Compassion in War-Torn Ukraine". Bloomberg. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  33. ^ "Canadian crew helps rescue woman trapped in Turkey earthquake rubble for 5 days". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 10 February 2023. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  34. ^ "Chef Jose Andres' World Central Kitchen arrives in Maui to aid wildfire victims and first responders". ABC 7 News - WJLA. 10 August 2023. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  35. ^ José Andrés's World Central Kitchen, Central to U.S. Gaza Aid Plan, Aims to Ramp Up, New York Times, March 7, 2024
  36. ^ "15 tons of WCK-provided aid air dropped into northern Gaza". World Central Kitchen. 7 March 2024. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  37. ^ a b c "7 WCK team members killed in Gaza". World Central Kitchen. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  38. ^ "Israel-Gaza latest news: Charity 'pausing operations' after its aid workers killed in air strike". BBC News. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  39. ^ "Operation Safeena: WCK aid boat offloads in Gaza". World Central Kitchen. 15 March 2024. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  40. ^ "Joint humanitarian initiative by Open Arms and World Central Kitchen". Open Arms. 20 February 2024. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  41. ^ Irish, John (10 November 2023). "Cyprus outlines plan for maritime corridor to get aid to Gaza". Reuters. Retrieved 12 March 2024.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  42. ^ "Cyprus pushes Gaza corridor idea; leader to visit Egypt, Jordan". Reuters. 5 December 2023. Retrieved 12 March 2024.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  43. ^ Williams, Dan (1 January 2024). "Israel says it's ready to let ships bring aid to Gaza". Reuters. Retrieved 12 March 2024.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  44. ^ "US military ship heading to Gaza to build port". 10 March 2024. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  45. ^ Birchard, Rosie (11 March 2024). "Aid ship waits to set sail from Cyprus to Gaza". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  46. ^ "Leading aid delivery in Gaza by sea, air, and land". World Central Kitchen. 11 March 2024. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  47. ^ "Gaza aid reaches shore in first sea delivery". 15 March 2024. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  48. ^ World Central Kitchen. "World Central Kitchen @WCKitchen". x.com. Retrieved 18 March 2024. WCK's aid boat returned to Cyprus after delivering our first maritime humanitarian shipment to Gaza...
  49. ^ Carman, Tim (21 February 2018). "Beard Foundation names José Andrés Humanitarian of the Year following a turbulent year for chefs". The Washington Post.
  50. ^ Emeril Lagasse (2018). "José Andrés is on the 2018 TIME 100 List". Time. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
  51. ^ "2021 Princess of Asturias Award for Concord". Princess of Asturias Foundation. 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  52. ^ "Remembering Igor, a beacon of light, bravery, and hope in Ukraine". World Central Kitchen. 5 June 2023. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  53. ^ Five aid workers with World Central Kitchen killed in Israeli strike Times of Israel
  54. ^ "World Central Kitchen halts operations in Gaza after strike kills staff". 2 April 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  55. ^ a b Roberts, Georgia (2 April 2024). "Australian aid worker 'Zomi' Frankcom killed by apparent Israeli air strike". ABC News (Australia). Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  56. ^ Al-Mughrabi, Nidal (2 April 2024). "Israeli airstrike on Gaza kills seven working for food aid NGO". Reuters. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  57. ^ "Death of Lalzawmi 'Zomi' Frankcom". foreignminister.gov.au. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  58. ^ "Sikorski reaguje na śmierć Polaka w Strefie Gazy. "Poprosiłem o pilne wyjaśnienia"" [Sikorski reacts to the death of a Pole in the Gaza Strip. "I asked for urgent explanations"]. www.rmf24.pl (in Polish). 2 April 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  59. ^ IDF Statement Regarding WCK Incident in Gaza. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2024 – via www.youtube.com.

External links

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