José Andrés facts for kids

Quick facts for kids José Andrés
Andrés in 2012
Born	José Ramón Andrés Puerta (1969-07-13) 13 July 1969 (age 56) Mieres, Asturias, Spain
Nationality	Spanish American (since 2013)
Occupation	Chef
Spouse(s)	Patricia Fernández de la Cruz
Children	3
Awards	Michelin stars

José Ramón Andrés Puerta (born 13 July 1969) is a famous Spanish-American chef and restaurateur. He was born in Spain and moved to the United States in the early 1990s. Since then, he has opened many restaurants in different American cities.

José Andrés has won many awards for his cooking, including several James Beard Awards. He has also received awards for his important humanitarian work. He is a professor and the founder of the Global Food Institute at George Washington University.

Andrés started World Central Kitchen (WCK), which is a non-profit group. This group helps provide meals to people after natural disasters. Many people say he helped make the "small plates" or tapas dining style popular in America. In 2016, he received a National Humanities Medal at the White House for his work with World Central Kitchen. He also has special degrees from several universities like Georgetown and Harvard.

Early Life and Learning

José Ramón Andrés Puerta was born in Mieres, Spain, on July 13, 1969. When he was 6, his family moved to Catalonia. At 15, he started culinary school in Barcelona.

When he was 18, he had to do his Spanish military service. He was chosen to cook for an admiral. He met the famous Spanish chef Ferran Adrià in Barcelona. José Andrés worked at Adrià's restaurant, El Bulli, from 1988 to 1990. In December 1990, he left El Bulli and decided to move to the United States.

Becoming a Chef

Starting in the United States

When José Andrés was 21, he came to New York City. He started cooking at a Spanish restaurant called Eldorado Petit in Midtown Manhattan. He also worked at another restaurant called The Quilted Giraffe.

In 1993, Andrés was hired to lead the kitchen at Jaleo. This was a new tapas restaurant in Washington, D.C.. Later, he helped the owners of Jaleo open more restaurants. These included Café Atlántico, Zaytinya, and Oyamel. They also opened two more Jaleo locations.

In 2003, Andrés created a special small restaurant called minibar. It was a six-seat counter inside Café Atlántico. This Minibar later became its own restaurant with twelve seats. It is very popular, and seats are usually booked within 24 hours.

Growing as a Chef and Restaurant Owner

As José Andrés opened more restaurants in the U.S., he became well-known in Spain too. He had his own cooking show called Vamos a Cocinar, which started in 2005. He also published his first book, Tapas: A Taste of Spain in America, in 2005.

In 2006, he teamed up with Robert Wilder to create ThinkFoodGroup. This made Andrés a co-owner of his restaurants. Together, they opened more restaurants in Miami, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Puerto Rico.

Andrés with White House Liaison Staff in 2012

Starting in 2010, Andrés taught a special cooking class at Harvard University. He taught about how physics relates to cooking with Ferran Adrià. In 2012, Andrés became the dean of Spanish Studies at The International Culinary Center. There, he helped create a course on Spanish cooking.

On October 29, 2012, he announced he would teach a course at George Washington University. This class was about how food has shaped civilization. He taught this until 2023, when he started the Global Food Institute at the same university.

Restaurant Plans and Lawsuit

José Andrés had planned to open a restaurant in the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C.. This was set for 2016. However, after Donald Trump made comments about Mexican immigrants in June 2015, Andrés decided not to open the restaurant.

The Trump Organization then sued him. Andrés sued them back, and they settled their disagreement in April 2017. The Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C., closed on May 11, 2022. It was sold and reopened as the Waldorf Astoria Washington, D.C.. On June 13, 2022, Andrés announced he would open a restaurant there, just as he had planned in 2015. His restaurant, The Bazaar by José Andrés, opened on February 8, 2023.

World Central Kitchen

World Central Kitchen (WCK) is a very important part of José Andrés's work. It is a non-profit group that provides meals to people in need, especially after disasters. In 2019, WCK raised almost $30 million, and in 2020, it raised $250 million.

After the 2010 Haiti earthquake, Andrés helped by providing local dishes to comfort people. Since it started, WCK has organized meals in many countries. These include the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Zambia, Peru, Cuba, Uganda, Cambodia, and Poland near Ukraine. WCK has also helped in the United States and Puerto Rico. They also provided aid during the COVID-19 pandemic. José Andrés runs WCK with about 200 team members.

In 2021, Jeff Bezos, who owns The Washington Post and Amazon, gave José Andrés $100 million. This was part of his Courage and Civility Award. During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Andrés said he would give part of this money to WCK. This was to help with the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. In 2022, WCK received $519 million in donations.

On April 1, 2024, seven WCK employees in Gaza were killed by Israeli drone strikes. José Andrés said that the employees were "targeted deliberately." He stated that the war in Gaza was "not a war against terrorism anymore" but a "war against humanity itself." He believes that "food is not a weapon of war."

José Andrés's Restaurants

José Andrés, with his partner Rob Wilder, owns many restaurants.

Special Restaurants

Inside of Andrés's restaurant é in 2013

• minibar by José Andrés – Washington, D.C. – Here, chefs serve about 25 small courses to only twelve diners at a time. It received two stars from the Michelin Guide in 2016.
• barmini by José Andrés – Washington, D.C. – This is a cocktail bar next to minibar.
• é by José Andrés – Las Vegas – Similar to minibar, chefs serve about 25 small courses to nine diners. It is inside the Jaleo restaurant.
• The Bazaar by José Andrés – Miami Beach, Washington, D.C., and New York City – This restaurant mixes traditional Spanish tapas with modern cooking styles.
• Bazaar Meat by José Andrés – Las Vegas, Chicago, and Los Angeles – This is a modern, high-end steakhouse.
• Bar Mar by José Andrés – Chicago and Glendale – A seafood place with a raw bar and special cocktails.
• Bazaar Mar – Las Vegas – A seafood restaurant with Spanish flavors.
• Bar Centro – Las Vegas – A Spanish bakery and cocktail bar.
• Nubeluz – New York City – A rooftop cocktail bar at the Ritz-Carlton.

Jaleo restaurant in Las Vegas

Other Restaurants

• China Chilcano by José Andrés – Washington, DC – This restaurant blends Chinese, Japanese, and Peruvian foods.
• China Poblano by José Andrés – Las Vegas – This restaurant mixes Chinese and Mexican foods.
• Fish by José Andrés – Paradise Island, Bahamas – Serves fresh seafood and Bahamian dishes.
• Jaleo by José Andrés – Washington, D.C., Orlando, Las Vegas, Chicago, and Dubai – Offers traditional Spanish tapas.
• Mercado Little Spain – New York City – A large Spanish food hall.
• Oyamel – Washington, D.C. – Serves small plates and Mexican snacks.
• Pepe – Washington, D.C. (food truck) and Orlando (restaurant) – A fast-casual Spanish place with sandwiches and salads.
• Pigtail by José Andrés – Chicago – A hidden cocktail bar in the basement of Jaleo Chicago.
• San Laurel – Downtown Los Angeles – Offers California food with a Spanish touch.
• Spanish Diner – Bethesda, Maryland – A Spanish version of a classic American diner.
• Zaytinya – Washington, D.C., New York City, Miami Beach, Culver City, Las Vegas, and Palo Alto – Serves small plates from Greece, Turkey, and Lebanon.

Awards and Special Recognitions

José Andrés has received many awards and honors for his work.

Awards and Prizes

• 2003 – Best Chef of the Mid-Atlantic Region, James Beard Foundation
• 2010 – Order of Arts and Letters of Spain, Spanish government
• 2011 – Outstanding Chef, James Beard Foundation
• 2015 – National Humanities Medal, United States government
• 2017 – Lifetime Achievement Award, International Association of Culinary Professionals
• 2018 – James Beard Foundation Award for Humanitarian of the Year
• 2019 – Julia Child Award
• 2019 – TIME for Kids Person of the Year
• 2021 – Princess of Asturias Award
• 2021 – Received $100 million from Jeff Bezos to give to non-profit groups.
• 2022 – Order of Merit (Ukraine), 2nd class
• 2023 – Daytime Emmy Award for his cooking series José Andrés and Family in Spain.
• 2024 – Grand Cross of Naval Merit, Spanish Navy
• 2025 – Presidential Medal of Freedom, for his cooking and humanitarian work with World Central Kitchen.

Media Recognition

• 2004 – Chef of the Year, Bon Appetit
• 2009 – Chef of the Year, GQ
• 2012 – One of the world's 100 most influential people, Time
• 2016 – Michelin Guide Washington, DC, 2 Michelin stars for minibar by José Andrés
• 2018 – One of the world's 100 most influential people, Time

Special Degrees

• In May 2014, Andrés received a special degree in public service from George Washington University. He also spoke at their graduation ceremony.
• In May 2018, he received another special degree from Tufts University.
• In 2019, Andrés received a special degree from Georgetown University.
• In May 2022, Andrés received a special degree from Harvard University.

Important Roles

• In 2015, President Barack Obama chose Andrés to be an ambassador for citizenship.
• In 2022, President Joe Biden chose Andrés to be a co-chair of the President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition.
• In 2024, Andrés became a member of The Earthshot Prize Council.

Personal Life

José Andrés is married to Patricia "Tichi" Fernández de la Cruz. They have three daughters and live in Bethesda, Maryland, United States. He met his wife in Washington, D.C.; she is from Cádiz, Spain. He became a U.S. citizen in December 2013.

Andrés enjoys golf and cigars. He also has a collection of 1500 rare cookbooks.

Politics

On November 5, 2024, Andrés said he planned to run against Rep. Andy Harris in the 2026 election. He called Harris, a Republican, a "disgrace."

Film and TV Appearances

José Andrés has appeared in many TV shows and documentaries.

See also

In Spanish: José Andrés para niños

• Mediterranean cuisine
• Molecular gastronomy