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 55) 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 several awards for his amazing cooking. He has also been honored for his important humanitarian work. He is a professor and started the Global Food Institute at George Washington University.

Andrés is also the founder of World Central Kitchen (WCK). This is a non-profit group that provides meals to people after natural disasters. He is known for bringing the idea of "small plates" or Tapas dining to America. In 2016, he received a National Humanities Medal for his work with World Central Kitchen. He also has honorary doctorates from several top universities.

Early Life and Learning

José Ramón Andrés Puerta was born in Mieres, Asturias, Spain, on 13 July 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 assigned to cook for an admiral. He met another famous chef, Ferran Adrià, in Barcelona. José Andrés worked at Adrià's famous restaurant, El Bulli, for three years. In December 1990, he left El Bulli and decided to move to the United States.

Cooking Career

Moving to the United States

At 21, Andrés arrived in New York City. He started cooking at a Spanish restaurant called Eldorado Petit. He also gained experience at another restaurant, The Quilted Giraffe.

In 1993, Andrés became the head chef at Jaleo. This was a new tapas restaurant in Washington, D.C.. Over the years, he helped the owners open more restaurants. These included Cafe Atlantico, Zaytinya, Oyamel, and more Jaleo locations.

In 2003, Andrés opened minibar. This was a tiny restaurant space inside Cafe Atlantico. It had only six seats. Minibar later became its own restaurant with twelve seats. People usually reserve seats within 24 hours because it's so popular.

Chef and Restaurant Owner

As he opened more restaurants in the US, Andrés became famous in Spain too. He starred in his own cooking show, Vamos a Cocinar, which started in 2005. That same year, he published his first cookbook, Tapas: A Taste of Spain in America.

In 2006, he teamed up with Robert Wilder to create ThinkFoodGroup. This made Andrés a co-owner in 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. It was about culinary physics at Harvard University with Ferran Adrià. In 2012, he became the dean of Spanish Studies at The International Culinary Center. There, he helped create a course on Spanish cooking.

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

Trump Hotel Restaurant

Andrés had plans to open a restaurant in the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C. This was in 2016. However, he decided to cancel his contract after a disagreement. The Trump Organization then sued him. Andrés sued them back, and they settled the case in 2017.

The Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C., closed in May 2022. It was sold and reopened as the Waldorf Astoria Washington, D.C. In June 2022, Andrés announced he would return to the location. He opened his planned restaurant, The Bazaar by José Andrés, there in February 2023.

World Central Kitchen

World Central Kitchen (WCK) is a non-profit organization founded by José Andrés. It helps people by providing meals after disasters. In 2019, WCK raised almost $30 million. In 2020, it raised $250 million.

After the 2010 Haiti earthquake, Andrés provided local meals to comfort people. Since it began, WCK has helped in many countries. These include the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Zambia, Peru, Cuba, Uganda, Cambodia, and Poland. They also helped in the United States and Puerto Rico. WCK provided aid during the COVID-19 pandemic in the US.

In 2021, Jeff Bezos, the owner of Amazon, gave Andrés $100 million. This was part of his Courage and Civility Award. Andrés said he would donate some of this money to WCK. This was to help with the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. In 2022, WCK received $519 million in donations.

On 1 April 2024, a very sad event happened. Seven WCK employees were killed in Gaza by drone strikes. Andrés said his employees were "targeted deliberately." He stated that the conflict was "a war against humanity itself."

Restaurants

José Andrés owns several restaurants with his partner Rob Wilder.

Signature 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 (opening in 2025) – A fancy steakhouse with rare meats from around the world.
• Bar Mar by José Andrés – Chicago and Glendale – A seafood restaurant with a raw bar and special cocktails.
• Bazaar Mar – Las Vegas – This restaurant focuses on seafood 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 hotel.

Jaleo restaurant in Las Vegas

Other Restaurants:

• Airlight – Downtown Los Angeles – A poolside café with small bites and creative drinks.
• The Beaudry Room – Downtown Los Angeles – A lobby bar with unique cocktails and tiny tapas.
• Butterfly — Culver City, California — A Mexican and Latin restaurant with tacos, ceviches, and agave drinks.
• China Chilcano by José Andrés – Washington, DC – This restaurant blends Chinese, Japanese, and Peruvian flavors.
• China Poblano by José Andrés – Las Vegas – This restaurant mixes Chinese and Mexican food.
• 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 called antojitos.
• Pepe – Washington, D.C. (food truck) and Orlando (restaurant) – A fast-casual Spanish place with sandwiches, salads, and more.
• Pigtail by José Andrés – Chicago – A hidden cocktail bar in the basement of Jaleo Chicago.
• San Laurel – Downtown Los Angeles – A restaurant that puts a Spanish twist on California cuisine.
• Spanish Diner – Bethesda, Maryland – A Spanish version of a classic American diner. It serves dishes like Arroz a la Cubana.
• Zaytinya – Washington, D.C., New York City, Miami Beach, Culver City, and Las Vegas (opening in 2025) – Offers small plates from Greece, Turkey, and Lebanon.

Awards and Honors

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 the second Courage and Civility Award from Jeff Bezos. This included $100 million for Andrés 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.

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 – 2 Michelin stars for minibar by José Andrés
• 2018 – One of the world's 100 most influential people, Time

Honorary Degrees

• In May 2014, Andrés received an honorary doctorate from George Washington University.
• In May 2018, he received an honorary Doctor of Public Service degree from Tufts University.
• In 2019, Andrés received an honorary degree from Georgetown University.
• In May 2022, Andrés received an honorary degree from Harvard University.

Appointments

• In 2015, President Barack Obama named Andrés an ambassador for citizenship.
• In 2022, President Joe Biden appointed Andrés as 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

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

Andrés enjoys playing golf and smoking cigars.

He has a large collection of rare cookbooks, about 1500 in total. These include very old and special books. He especially likes his early editions of Ma Cuisine by Auguste Escoffier and Joy of Cooking.

On 5 November 2024, Andrés said he might run for political office. He mentioned challenging a politician in the 2026 election.

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: José Andrés para niños

• Mediterranean cuisine
• Molecular gastronomy