Who is José Andrés? What to know about WCK and deadly airstrike in Gaza
WASHINGTON - Seven workers from the nonprofit group World Central Kitchen, among the largest providers of desperately needed humanitarian aid to Gaza, were killed in an Israeli airstrike Monday.
The group's aid convoy was hit Monday as it was leaving the Deir al-Balah warehouse, despite coordinating movements with the Israeli military, the group said. The workers had been traveling in two armored cars bearing the World Central Kitchen logo, according to a statement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said an investigation was underway into "a tragic case of our forces unintentionally hitting innocent people.
Here’s a look into who founded the group and what it does.
Who is José Andrés?
Andrés is a celebrity Spanish-American chef who immigrated to the U.S. in 1991 and founded several restaurants with his partners, according to his website. Some of his restaurants include Minibar, which earned him two Michelin stars, and The Bazaar.
He was awarded the National Humanities Medal by President Barack Obama in 2015 and was included on the list of TIME Magazine’s 100 most influential people both in 2012 and 2018, according to his website.
Celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse wrote in 2018 that Andrés was a “brilliant restaurateur who has shaped America’s culinary history and course by introducing his distinctive take on Spanish food and culture.”
In 2022, he hosted 13 senators in his restaurant Oyamel where he held a bipartisan discussion on immigration, the Ukrainian conflict and other issues, according to the Washington Post.
What is the World Central Kitchen?
Andrés established the nonprofit organization World Central Kitchen in 2010, after he traveled to Haiti following an earthquake, according to the nonprofit’s website. There, he cooked alongside displaced families in camps.
“It wasn’t just about feeding people in need—it was about listening, learning, and cooking side by side with the people impacted by the crisis. This is the real meaning of comfort food, and it’s the core value that José, along with his wife Patricia, used at the center of founding World Central Kitchen,” the website says.
Since its founding, the nonprofit has provided meals to people who have been affected by humanitarian, climate and other disasters.
After Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, the nonprofit served millions of meals to those who fled Ukraine and those in the country, according to its website. The group also expanded its operations into Romania, Moldova, Hungary, Slovakia and other countries.
In mid-March, the World Central Kitchen was involved in the first shipment of aid to Gaza, according to Reuters. Workers had built a makeshift jetty out of rubble from bombed buildings to unload the ship’s contents, according to the New York Times.
A second shipment of food was due to come this week in Gaza, according to Reuters.
After the airstrike that left seven workers dead, Andrés tweeted, “I am heartbroken and grieving for their families and friends and our whole WCK family.” The workers included a Palestinian, citizens from Australia, Poland, the United Kingdom and a dual citizen of the U.S. and Canada.
"They are not faceless. They are not nameless. The Israeli government needs to stop this indiscriminate killing," Andrés said. "It needs to stop restricting humanitarian aid, stop killing civilians and aid workers and stop using food as a weapon."
The World Central Kitchen announced it is pausing its Gaza operations.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is José Andrés? The Chef's WCK and airstrike on workers in Gaza